People are Strange
by Lady of the Lost and Found
Summary: A close friend of the Boys finally decides to reveal what really happened to David, Marko, Dwayne and Paul before Michael and Sam arrived and why they ended up the way they did...or did they? Complete with soundtrack. Currently being edited
1. Prologue

It was just another regular, hot, sultry day in Santa Carla, the _Murder Capital of the World_…in all actuality, that message scrawled on the back of the Welcome to Santa Carla sign on the Highway 10 exit is a mistake, but who am I to say otherwise? The true death Capital is none other than the war-torn city of Baghdad, but the number of innocent deaths was caused by humans not vampires. So the boys were partially right when they wrote the sign. Santa Carla comes second, but is first on the vampiric side of things. Ah well, what the hell do we care about such matters? Like our lives aren't screwed up enough as it is. But anyways…

Before I continue, allow me to introduce myself. It's only polite after all because heaven forbid people should start being civil to each other. If that ever happened hell just might freeze over and then we'd all be in a whole lot of trouble. The last thing I need if for Mr. Pitch-fork wielding goat boy to suddenly appear demanding why the internal inferno of his private sauna is no longer working. Plus, it'll be less confusing later on. So, the name's Fay Prima folks and I'm just your average next-door neighbor, spinster on the block, bonafied 42nd generation Italian witch. Well, witch is just one of the categories that I fall under. Frankly, I'm just about everything and anything that you can possibly think of and then some. Let me tell you, me trying to write up a résumé is about as easy as decoding the Rosetta stone, and this is coming from a person who can read both ancient Greek and Egyptian hieroglyphics. Sometimes I wonder why I have no social life. Hmmm, that is a good question.

Anyways, the one heading that I really like is something that Paul came up with during one of his head-banging bouts of drunkenness. Mind you, there was hardly a moment when he wasn't drunk or high, but that was the 80's for you. Everyone was on some kind of upper back then, be it weed, booze, raunchy music or the horrible fashion sense of the decade. He called me the_ Crazy Cat Lady of Santa Carla_. For some reason we all thought that it was the funniest thing that he ever came up with and so it stuck. The Crazy Cat Lady…oh boy. It does have some truth to it aside from the fact that I am not a crazy loon. Yes I do have cats; about twelve that live with me at the moment and god knows how many more that roam the streets. They are my own personal eyes and ears of the city. Oh, and I can talk to them too. Regretting reading this yet? No? My, you are stubborn aren't you?

But I'm getting off topic. So yes, I'm the neighborhood kook and no I do not spend hours talking to the plants that grow alongside my windowsill. Since I am an Italian among other things, I have a bad habit of over cooking. It has been brought to my attention that every time I whip up something for lunch, I overdo it just a little bit. I would never have believed it until the boys actually refused to step into my kitchen, least they come out thirty pounds heavier. After all, there's only so much lasagna a vampire can eat before he goes down for the count. Who knew vampires could get high cholesterol? So, if you're ever in the neighborhood, feel free to drop by sometime because I'll probably have a vat of home-made pasta on the stove, ready to be served.

I know I talk too much but what I'm trying to get at with all this ceaseless chattering is that I want to set the record straight. And you're probably wondering what the heck I'm talking about, so what I want you to do is sit down and listen. You can do that right? Good. SIT! Now, you may or may not be familiar with the boys, but judging by the fact that you've read this far leads me to believe that you have some familiarity with them, hence the reason for reading this crappy introduction of mine. All you vampire lovers, monster fanatics and blood-sucking wannabe's probably know the boys as the Lost Boys, a bunch of teenage nineteen-eighties, metal-head punks who lived for the thrill, didn't give jack shit about what went on around them and ended up getting the proverbial stake because they were too stoned to see it coming. Well, I admit part of it is true, but I'm writing this memoir to tell you about the whole story, the _true_ story. The movie that was made by Joel Schumacher solely focuses around a tiny fraction of what really went on, painting a wall-sized fresco with only one can of paint. So it's only natural that a lot of stuff got left out, like me for example. I don't think that Mr. Schumacher would have bought the idea that it was a witch that put foot to ass along with four head-banging vampires, but the man had to make a movie that would appeal to the younger crowd. And I don't know about you, but I think that a 21 year-old Kiefer Sutherland would have more of an impact as the bad-ass vampire leader rather than some frizzy-hair, knife wielding, twenty-something version of _stregga nonna._ But then again, that's just me.

So, I'm going to tell you the before and after of what really happened to David, Dwayne, Paul and Marko and myself. As flawed as _The Lost Boys_ movie is, the basic outline is true. So to you the reader who has patiently put up with my ranting, _grazzi tutti _and here's the story. The real story is about four guys who were dealt the joker's card and ended up paying the price for something that they never had to get involved with and all for the sake of friendship. Whoever said that the boys were cold-blooded murdering monsters without a shred of conscience doesn't know his ass from his forehead. And I should know because I was there.


	2. Chapter 1

It was about two years before the Emerson boys moved to Santa Carla when the beginning of it all took place. If I remember correctly, the boys first ran into one another on the fourth of July, down at the boardwalk…

"Yo' Paul, you think we lost them?" Said an eighteen something guy, looking over his shoulder as he and his friend roared onto the boardwalk, carefully weaving their motorcycles through the vast crowd. It was the good ol' Fourth of July and the place was packed tighter than a sardine can. It was the perfect place to blend in and hide and that was exactly why the two had hiked it out of Los Angeles and headed for this middle-of-nowhere boon dock town.

"I think so man. Don and the guys wouldn't bother coming out this far, even after a couple of no-good punks like us." Paul said with a crooked grin as he parked his bike by a side rail, his eyes following a pair of gorgeous bare legs that walked by him.

"Yeah, but how can you be sure? I mean we're not exactly out of the state. Those guys won't stop until either we're both dead or out of the fucking country." Marko snorted as he killed his engine and hopped off of the bike. He quickly scanned his surroundings, but with all the people swarming around him, he couldn't pick out a single face.

"Marko, dude. You seriously need to relax bro. Think of it like this. They _think_ we're long gone and if they think that, why the hell would they bother lookin' so close to home? C'mon, they're not friggin' geniuses." Paul said as he threw his arm around Marko's shoulders and steered him away from the bikes. Marko looked over his shoulder once more before he let Paul herd him into the crowd.

"I know. But I can't help think that…" Marko started before Paul cut him off abruptly. Paul's hand grabbed Marko by the jaw and turned his head to the side. Before Marko could protest, his eyes fell on a vision in leather. Both he and Paul stared wide-eyed and slack jawed at the woman with what had to be painted on leather. She walked right past the two and vanished into the crowd without batting an eyelash. It took a few moments before the two friends remembered to breath again.

"Paul, I think we died and finally reached nirvana." Marko said quietly as he turned to look at his friend.

"Either that or hell is fucking awesome." Paul responded as he looked down at Marko and then at the direction that the woman had gone. A sly smile touched his lips as he grabbed Marko by the back of his jacket and hauled him to the side rails. Paul leapt up onto the railing and scanned the crowd carefully, looking in the direction that she had gone in.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you don't stand a chance in hell at even finding her again, much less actually holding a decent conversation?" Marko muttered as he adjusted his jacket, rolling his eyes at his friend's antics.

"Marko, does the phrase "divide and conquer" have any meaning to you? With a girl like that, conversation is the last thing on the list." Paul said as he squinted slightly, trying to figure out if the leather clad figure by the carousel was the one he was looking for. Marko simply shook his head and sighed.

"You know, you don't have to screw every girl you see Paul. Maybe that's why half the female population of L.A. can't stand the sight of you." He said as he leaned against the railing, eyeing the crowd as he did so. He had the urge to knock Paul off his perch but before he could swipe his legs from under him, Paul let out a victorious howl and leapt back onto the ground.

"You found her?" Marko asked, unable to keep the eagerness out of his voice.

"Let's go little bro. It's time for us to do a little stalking. C'mon." Paul said as he dashed off with Marko hot on his heels. The two weaved and shouldered their way through the crowd, not bother to apologize when Paul shoved a kid out of his way, receiving a scalding look of the kid's mother.

"Slow down man." Marko called out as he tripped over an upturned garbage can, his eyes glued onto Paul's tailed coat, least he loose his friend in the crowd.

"And loose the prize? Never!" Paul laughed over his shoulder as he beckoned Marko to hurry up. Pity he wasn't look at where he was going.

"Watch it punk!" Snarled a voice when Paul slammed into the back of another guy. Marko skidded to a halt when the stranger turned around and grabbed Paul by his shirtfront, holding him an inch away from his face.

"Yo, sorry dude! Relax man! Didn't see where I was going." Paul said, staring the offended guy eye to eye. Even in a sticky situation, Paul didn't loose his roguish edge, which had a habit of landing him into even deeper shit. The other guy, roughly Paul's height with a mane of black hair, eyed him up and down, but didn't let him go.

"Hey man, I don't swing that way." Paul growled, bringing both arms up to break the other's guy's hold on him, but even that quick action didn't do dick all. Ok, the guy was strong; there was no need to panic.

"Excuse me?" The guy said, his voice sending chills running down Paul's spine. Paul suddenly found himself dangling a foot off the ground, gripping onto the guy's wrist for dear life. "What did you just say?"

"Nothin' man, I said nothin'." Paul gasped, due to the fact that the guy's hand was now slowly crushing his windpipe as he struggled to free himself. So the guy was really strong and about to kill him, still no cause for panic.

"Really?" Came a growled response, catching Paul unaware. It sounded like an angry grizzly growl instead of human. Paul's eyes widened as he saw the guy's eyes slowly change colour, from a dark brown to a vibrant shade of orangish-yellow. Ok, now it was time to panic.

"What the fuck!" Paul yelped, as he kicked out, landing a hefty blow to the guy's gut. Instead of doubling over, the guy didn't seem to flinch. It just made him a whole lot angrier. "Marko!" Paul cried out.

Before Marko could jump the guy from behind, a voice rang out like a whip-crack, stopping all three in their tracks.

"Dwayne! What are you doing? Put him down, you idiot." Snapped the voice, as the leather-clad woman that Paul had been chasing after seemed to appear out of nowhere. The guy, Dwayne, looked over his shoulder and dropped Paul, not even bothering to give him a second glance. Marko backed away from Dwayne and grabbed Paul, hauling him to his feet.

"You ok man?" Marko asked Paul as he kept an eye on the two, now conversing quietly a few feet away.

"Yeah…I think so." Paul gasped, massaging his bruised throat. "Who the fuck is that guy? The Hulk?"

"Who cares. Let's get the hell out of here." Marko said as he tried to steer Paul away from the two. But Paul didn't budge an inch. "Paul, this is no time to butt heads with the neighborhood psycho. Come on man. She's taken, you're beat and I don't want to get my ass handed to me because of you. _Come on._" Marko growled quietly as he twisted Paul around and shoved him ahead of him.

"Boys! Hold up for a second." The woman called out as she moved away from Dwayne and jogged over to the two. How anyone could jog in a pair of steel heeled stiletto boots was beyond any of their reckoning, but they weren't worry about that right now. Dwayne stood where he was, glaring darkly at Paul, while the woman slowed and gave the two a small smile.

"Sorry about that. My friend there isn't the most stranger-friendly guy around." She said, as she looked Paul over quickly, making sure he wasn't missing any limbs. She eyed the darkening bruises on Paul's throat and gave him a sympathetic look. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'll live." Paul said, trying to keep his eyes from traveling down from his savior's face, least her "friend" come over and rip his face off.

"You two are new to Santa Carla, aren't you?" She said, raising an eyebrow. It seems that Paul was fighting a loosing battle. "You know, I'm up here, not down in my chest."

"Eh…sorry." Paul said sheepishly, quickly averting his eyes. Marko saw Dwayne scowl darkly, but since the guy didn't move, he wasn't going to say anything.

"Yeah, we just got here." Marko said, trying to give Paul a chance to save face. "I'm sorry. I'm Marko and this idiot here is Paul." He said, nudging Paul in the ribs.

"A pleasure to meet you boys. I'm Fay and that's Dwayne." Fay said, holding her out her hand. Marko shook it, but Paul, for all of his overdriven sex drive, hesitated. Fay held back a laugh and grinned at him. "Don't worry, as long as you're with me, he won't hurt you."

Paul looked over at Dwayne, who was watching the little exchange like a hawk, and gave him a toothy grin while he shook Fay's hand, holding on for a little longer than necessary. Dwayne visibly bristled, but instead of going over and tearing Paul to pieces, turned his back to the three of them and stalked away.

"So, is he your boyfriend or something?" Paul asked, looking back at Fay. Marko just groaned quietly and sighed. Some things just never change.

"Maybe." She said, looking over at Marko and gave him a knowing look. "So what are you boys doing so far from home?"

Marko and Paul exchanged a glance before Marko spoke up. "Well, it's kind of a long story."

"Ah, one of those. I see." She said, nodding her head slightly. For all of Paul's banter and mischievous ways, he couldn't help but stare at her like a moon-struck calf, his eyes following her every move. Fay noticed this from the corner of her eye and held back a smirk. Instead she raised one hand to her hair, watching Paul as his eyes followed her hand, much like a cat watching a piece of catnip being dangled in front of his nose. "You know, I could do this all night and I think your friend here won't even notice." She said causally to Marko who mirrored her grin. Paul blinked and looked at them a tad bit confused. This caused Fay and Marko to burst out laughing.

"What?" He said, knowing that he was the butt of some joke, but unable for the life of him, figure out what the joke was.

"Nothing man, it's nothing." Marko said, restraining himself to keep from humiliating his star-struck friend even more. "Anyways, how about you. You live here?" He asked Fay.

"You can say that. It's kind of a long story." Fay replied, crossing her arms over her chest, which caused Paul to stare obviously once more. Marko just shook his head and looked over at Paul. His friend was acting like a complete ass, more so that how he usually does. Well, there was only one thing for it. Marko casually smacked Paul side the head.

"What the hell? Hey!" Paul said, taking a step back. He scowled at Marko, but it seemed to have worked. The spell was temporarily broken.

"Welcome back." Fay said with a small smile. It was hard to say if she was enjoying all this, or just being polite, but either or, both boys didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable around her. It almost felt as if they had known her for ages, as strange as it sounds. "Anyways boys, I have to cut our little introduction short. Oh don't worry Paul, it's not like I'm going to fall off the face of this planet." She said kindly when she saw the disappointed look that crossed Paul's face. He blushed slightly and muttered something under his breath, as he looked away, embarrassed that she had seen him like that. Hell, it was like she had eyes out of the back her of head. She just seemed to see, well, everything.

"Are we going to see you again?" Marko asked, looking from Paul and then to Fay.

"Sure you will. I live here remember?" She said with a wink as she looked over her shoulder. Dwayne was back and nodded to her. "Right then. I'll see you around." She said as she turned to go, but stopped and turned back when she remembered something. 'Let me be the first to welcome you two to Santa Carla. And in this town, people are strange." She said, giving them an unreadable smile before she turned and walked away. Dwayne lowered his head and muttered something into her ear before both of them melted into the crowd, leaving Paul and Marko to themselves.

"She seems nice." Marko said causally as he looked at Paul from the corner of his eye. "What the hell is up with you Paul? You acted like a complete idiot. And let me stress _idiot_."

"Marko, I just think the unthinkable happened." Paul said, giving himself a good shake, his blonde mane fanning out across his shoulders, trying to clear his head.

"What?" Marko asked, walking out into the crowd with Paul stalking beside him.

"I think I've just fallen for a chick. I never fall for anyone. It's usually the other way around." He said quietly, trying to make sense of it all. "Is this normal?"

Marko shook his head and smiled. It seemed that the unthinkable had happened after all. "Yeah man, it's normal, but for you, it's abnormal." He said with a quiet laugh as Paul eyed two blondes that walked past. Like I said, some things just never change. "So, what do you want to do now?"

"Get something to eat and check out the night life in this place." Paul said, the roguish grin appearing on his lips once more. And that is exactly what they did.


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Side Note**

Right. Greetings all and thank you to all those who have reviewed thus far. And, do not worry, this thread is alive and well and will be updated whenever I get a chance to sit down and write. Now i have a few things to cover before we begin chapter three.

Firstly, I am trying out a new writing style/set up, which you may or may not have noticed. The events that occur with the Boys are spoken in a fourth person element, as if you were watching a play or such like. Hence, there isn't very much indepth writing about what is going on inside the minds of the characters. That I leave for the narraration. I've been mulling over this problem, but Icannot seem to find a way around it. At times, I must admit, the writing is...well...pretty crappy. But ah well,this is only the beginning of thestory.

Which brings me to my second point. I am not very happy with how this chapter turned out and I wouldgreatly appreciate your opinions and criticisms. I do not feel that I have done David or Dwayne justice at all, and any advice on that would be great. Other than that, I hope you enjoy this next installment.

Well, that was what had happened the first time the boys met. Ah, poor Paul. The guy couldn't keep his eyes in one place. At first I thought he was a complete idiot, but there was something about him that struck me as interesting. I speculated as to what was behind that devil-may-care attitude, but it would take a couple more run ins before I was lucky enough to see the real Paul. As for Marko, that one had the face of an angel. Sweet, soft-spoken, down-to-earth, he was the complete opposite of his head-banging friend. But, as they say, opposites attract. And Dwayne? Well, Dwayne's Dwayne. He wasn't normally that standoffish, but Paul had managed to distract him from obtaining his midnight snack, and…well, boys will be boys. As for myself (grins), yeah, that was me in the leather getup. Was I a bombshell or what? I used to dig leather. That was up until I had the capability of wearing clothing like that. Try sticking me in a cat suit now and see what'll happen.

But anyways, you're probably wondering why I was hanging around a blood-sucking vampire right? Now before you jump to any conclusions, let me set the record straight. No, I am not a vampire and yes I knew that Dwayne was one. No I am not insane, and yes I do have balls of steel, figuratively speaking. You see, I had ran into Dwayne a few weeks earlier when he was new to the town. The original vampire ever to grace Santa Carla was David, and when Dwayne arrived, there had been a slight scuffled outside my doorstep and Dwayne ended up being pitched right through my living room window. Well, you could imagine what happened then. Three in the morning I wake up hearing this unearthly howl and glass shattering. I ran downstairs, nearly tripping over half a dozen of my cats to find a dazed vampire laying spread eagle on my carpet. Now I am a very open minded kind of person and nothing usually surprises me. And this was no exception…wait, why am I telling you this? Why don't you just see for yourself?

"What in the blue fuck was that?" Fay swore as she bolted upright, rudely dislodging the ginger kitten that was curled up on her chest. The tiny fur ball mewled in surprised and picked himself up, holding his tail high in the air.

"Figaro, downstairs, now!" She said as she swung her legs over and leapt out of bed, grabbing a fuzzy pink bathrobe as she did so. The gray tomcat, Figaro, meowed and ran out into the hallway. Fay ran for the door, but stopped, remembering something. With a curse, Fay ran back to the bed and slid her hand under her pillow, pulling out a gleaming kitchen knife.

"So help me if it's those dog-eared, no-good, senior punks, I'm going to castrate the whole lot of them." Fay growled as she hurried out of the bedroom and down the hall, stepping over the cats that milled about her, creating a terrible din as they tried to figure out what was wrong.

"Out of my way you!" Fay hissed at a particularly fluffy white cat that shot out of her way with a sharp hiss. When Fay had reacted the bottom of the staircase, she hurried after Figaro, who had been waiting for her. What she saw in her living room stopped her in her tracks.

"What in the world?" Fay muttered when she saw the dazed figure of a man lying flat on his back. Her eyes widened when she looked at the ruined window, out of surprise rather than shock. At her side, Figaro let out a dangerous hiss, his thin tail fluffing out twice its side. Standing right outside the window, and in her rose bushes at that, was a dark clad figure with a shocking platinum blonde mullet. Fay allowed for a split second to pass before she jumped into the fray.

"Move another muscle, both of you and so help me I'll skin you alive." Fay said, brandishing the kitchen knife in her right hand as if it were a sword.

The blonde figure tore his eyes from the other man and looked at her with an amused expression on his face.

"Oh don't give me that, you ungrateful blood-sucking fiend. There is more than one way to skin a cat…vampire." Fay snorted, standing her ground as the stranger blinked in mild surprise and laughed.

"Oh, you think this is funny do you?" Fay miffed, not at all appreciating being laughed at. Why couldn't anyone ever take her seriously? Ok, so she was wearing something like looked like pink road kill and she was brandishing a knife like a mad woman, but that didn't mean she wasn't dead serious.

"Actually I do." The stranger said as he clasped his gloved hands before him.

"Care to share? Or are you going to stand there all night gloating? Cause if so, you can take it elsewhere. I have a dance class to teach at 6 am and sleep is probably the number on thing on my list." Fay said levelly, still not relinquishing her grip on the knife.

"What the?" Another voice said, catching both of their attention for a brief moment. Dwayne, who had finally came to his senses, was still lying on the floor, but wasn't alone.

"Dear lord. Fat Cat, will you get away from him?" Fay groaned as Dwayne blinked in surprise. Sitting on his chest was an extremely over-fed black and white cat, which was clearly enjoying batting away at Dwayne's long locks.

"Get the fuck off of me." Dwayne growled, baring his fangs at the obese animal. Fat cat didn't need to be told twice.

"It's ok baby, he won't hurt you." Fay reassured the freaked out cat as it waddled to her, deciding he'd rather hide behind her legs then take another step further.

"You got that wrong babe." Dwayne said as he rose to his feet.

"Wrong?" Fay said as she tensed, the knife now pointed at him.

"Way wrong." Dwayne snarled with an evil, toothy grin as he took a step forward. Outside, the stranger didn't say a word, but watched the little drama play out, a knowing smirk on his lips.

"I wouldn't do that." The stranger commented calmly.

"Yeah? Fuck off." Dwayne snarled at the stranger before turning back to Fay, who hadn't budged an inch. Pity he didn't listen. Just as he took another step towards her, Dwayne stopped in his tracks, an uneasy feeling hitting him like a ton of bricks. Something wasn't right.

"You got to be kiddin' me." He muttered as he looked around. A pair of unblinking shining eyes covered nearly every inch of the room.

"The Wicked Witch of the West had flying monkeys. I, on the other hand, have cats." Fay said matter-of-factly, flicking the knife up into the air and catching it by the blade. It was a stalemate, one that could have gone on if it weren't for the stranger outside the window.

"Mind if I come in?" He asked her, looking over Dwayne's shoulder, giving Fay a bemused smirk.

"Of course I mind. Do you honestly think that I'm going to invite every vampire in this state to come waltzing across my doorstep? Cause if you do, you have another thing…Hey! What the hell are you doing?" Fay said as the stranger stepped over the windowsill and entered the house.

"What does it look like? "I'm going to invite every vampire in this state to come waltzing across my doorstep." Ring a bell?" The stranger said as he walked towards them, careful not to get close to the walls and the furniture.

"Wha? But…I said that in question form! Ah shit." Fay swore under her breath, heaving a sigh.

"Uh, lady? Can you call off your cats?" Dwayne said uneasily. Now Dwayne is not a vampire to loose his cool, but when you've got twenty pairs of hungry eyes on you, it's going to be enough to make anyone squeamish. Even a vampire.

Fay stared hard at Dwayne and then at the unknown figure before she growled something in a foreign tongue and gave a sharp wave of her hand. Slowly, the tension in the room eased as the cats began to drift away, no longer interested in the two strangers.

"Don't even think about it." Fay said as she adjusted her robe, making sure to cover as much of her neck as possible. She still held her knife.

"The thought never crossed my mind." The stranger said. But the statement was more geared towards Dwayne, who had been eyeing her neck with interest. The three stood in silence for a while.

"Sorry about the window." The stranger said, finally breaking the silence.

"Yeah, well you're paying for it, so I really couldn't care less." Fay sassed. Despite the bravado she was using as a convincing act, she wasn't about to let the two vampires know just how freaked out by their presence she really was. Any self-respecting witch would never sink to such a level, no matter what the situation.

Hearing this, the stranger smiled.

"Name's David." He said as he held out a gloved hand.

"Fay Prima, pleasure." Fay said as she shook it with her free hand. She eyed him carefully for a moment, but didn't say anything else.

"Wait. You're not going to kill her?" Dwayne spoke up, looking from David to Fay and then back to David.

"No I am not going to kill her." David said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He and Fay exchanged a glance, at which point Fay tucked away the kitchen knife into a large pocket and sighed.

"Might as well sit down." She muttered as she picked up Figaro and sat cautiously on the arm of the couch, nervously petting the cat. David casually sat on the loveseat, resting a foot on his knee. Only Dwayne remained standing.

"Boy, you make a great vampire but a lousy statue. Sit." She said, motioning to the chair nearest him. For some reason, he obeyed and sat. He still had a slightly confused frown on his face however. A vampire doesn't simply barge into someone's house and then have a conversation with a potential meal.

"So, can I ask why my front window is broken? You two owe me at least that much." Fay said as she wrapped her arms protectively around Figaro, who peered at David with his bright green eyes.

"Territorial dispute. I was in the midst of giving junior here a lesson in domination." David mused as he watched the other vampire bristle under his words.

"One that you were loosing." He growled softly.

"Oh on the contrary, I think it was the other way around." David shot back.

"You need to get your memory checked. I clearly had the upper hand." Dwayne said, leaning forward slightly, resting his arms on his knees. And so the arguing began.

It went on like this for a couple of minutes. It didn't matter who was older, or who was stronger, in the end, it came down to who was the sharpest. Now, despite Dwayne's rather…metal head appearance, he was a lot smarter than both David and I first gave him credit for. At first, David had regarded Dwayne as just another up-start vampire looking for carve out a territory for himself and too thick-headed to ever submit to his authority. On the contrary, Dwayne had been the leader of his old vampire gang, but came to Santa Carla when vampire hunters took them out. He was the only on left of the New Orleans Fang Gang. But this posed a problem, and judging from the standoffish behavior from both vampires, a rather tricky one. David had been around Santa Carla for years, having claimed this town as his own. With the arrival of another dominate vampire, David felt threatened, hence the reason why the two of them were scrapping it out on my front lawn.

Now things could have gotten ugly if it weren't for my tactful refereeing skills….

"Whoa! Boys, calm down!" Fay shouted as she leapt to her feet, planting herself between David and Dwayne just as they were about to butt heads once more. "I said COOL IT!" She barked as she threw her hands out, slamming her palms into their chests. In a flash, both vampires leapt back hissing, their demonic faces once again in plain view.

"No fighting in the house. If you got beef with each other, take it outside." Fay snapped, going from cat-lady to commando in a split second.

"How did you do that?" Dwayne growled, massaging his chest as if she had just hit him with a sledgehammer.

"She's a witch you idiot. She has powers." David said as he straightened out his coat, regaining his composer once more.

"Witches don't exist." Dwayne snorted, crossing his arms over his chest, not believe a word of it.

"Yeah, just like vampires are the stuff of Hollywood. Welcome to reality pal. You guys aren't the only ones that can do things that aren't "natural." Fay said as she took a step back, flicking a strand of hair behind her shoulder.

"And you knew." Dwayne said, looking at David.

"Yes I did. We've just never had the chance of being formally introduced." He said nodded to Fay.

"Got that right." Fay said as her eyes drifted to the moving Felix the Cat clock on her wall. It was four am.

"Anyways, boys. As much as I'd love to stay and chat, it's getting kind of late. Don't you two have some innocent people to feed on? I on the other hand have to work during the day." She said, biting back a yawn that tickled her throat.

"I got a question." Dwayne said catching both of their attention. He had been mulling over this for the entire time he was in the house, and wanted to find out the answer. He knew David wouldn't tell him, so he took his chances with Cat Woman.

"Why aren't you afraid of us?" He asked Fay. This had to be the first time that he had been around a human who knew what he was and didn't run off screaming blue murder.

But, her response puzzled him even further.

"Well, let's just say I'm used to this kind of thing. Be it vampires, werewolves, ghouls or zombies, I've just about seen it all. I have an aunt down in Louisiana who can raise the dead, so a pair of fangs isn't going to scare me." She said with a small smile. "You guys are pretty cool though in the grand scheme of things."

"Anyways. It's late, I'm dead tired and you two need to leave." She said motioning to the window. "So vamoose and I'll see you around. Oh, and try not to kill each other. It won't do you two any good. Trust me, I know." She said as she watched the two slip out of the window. David turned to her to say something but she shook her head.

"No, you won't have to worry about waking up with a stake between your ribs. Out of all the people in the town you guys can trust me, honestly." She said with a tired smile, as if reading his mind. "Night boys and be nice."

"That is one weird chick." Dwayne said with a shake of his head as Fay turned and vanished back into her house.

"You have no idea." David said, his eyes lingering on the empty window for a moment longer. There was something about that woman that he couldn't put his finger on. What had previously been a bloody battle now ended up a strange meeting, and he had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't just by coincidence.

Now I know what you're probably thinking, "yeah right, the day this ever happened." And you have every right to think that. Typically, something like this would never happen, but since when is anything typical in Santa Carla? Now, the way you're seeing the boys is the way I first saw them. It took me a while to burrow deep and witness the real them, and it's going to take a few more memories before you can see them the way I do. I knew David was different the moment I laid eyes on him, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was.

And Dwayne? The guy grew on me. I was skeptical at first, but after a while, he finally came to believe that magic was real and that I wasn't a fraud or a crackpot. In turn, I realized that he had a sharp mind and a quick wit to him, something that I found very amusing. And for the record, yes, Dwayne does speak in full sentences. The reason why he was so quiet when he met Michael was because…that's another story that I'll be getting to pretty soon.

Oh, and you know the window? Well, two nights later I woke up to discover that the glass had been replaced. When I mentioned this to David, he assured me that he had no idea how it had happened. When I went to question Dwayne, he was nowhere to be found. Odd isn't it?

Oh, I almost forgot. You know the whole dance class thing I mentioned earlier? Yeah, I used to be a professional dancer, and a pretty darn good one too, if I do say so myself. Hell, I was even in Cats! That all changed when Max arrived however. Everything changed when that bastard showed up and caused the power shift.


	4. Chapter 3

After that incident between David and Dwayne, things seemed to calm down for a few weeks. I guess the two were still trying to get used to each other's presence. It was obvious that Dwayne wasn't going to pack up and leave, and so I told David that he was just going to have to learn to live with it and quit being such a brat. He wasn't too happy about that, but in the end, he agreed. He argued that at least with two of them now in residence in Santa Carla, he didn't have to constantly look over his shoulder. Two sets of eyes were better than one, if you know what I mean.

But what I think that was really bothering David, even though he gave no indication, was that he was at a severe disadvantage. How so? Let me explain. Even with just the two of them, on somewhat good terms with one another, he and Dwayne were still the _only_ vampires in Santa Carla. What I think David was afraid of…yes, David wasn't immune to fear or worry. Hey, he may be a vampire, but he wasn't a god. Anyways, what I think he was worried about is that if any other vampires came a calling, looking for a place to set up new territory, there was only so much he could do to stop them. Two against twenty was still a bad odd, no matter how you look at it.

Little did I know at the time that he was already formulating a solution to this problem, one that he kept only between himself and Dwayne. I think it was Dwayne who had suggested it, but I cannot say for sure because those two made sure that I was kept in the dark. If I had known, I think that Paul and Marko would have gone on to live full and interesting lives and not have ended up on the pointy end of a fence post.

"Any prospects?" David quietly murmured as he sat perched on the mist-drenched rooftop of the old lighthouse. The bright beam of light that was emitted from the massive electric bulb below him pierced the fog at regular intervals, but it didn't seem to bother him in the least bit. He was out of the line of fire and with all the mist the lights effect was dampened considerably. After all, vampires can't stand bright lights, plays havoc with the eyes.

"Can't say for sure. There are a few, but pickings aren't the greatest. That's the problem with down-and-out places like this. You get your trash, and then you get more trash. Trying for find a decent candidate is like trying to find a needle in a fucking haystack." Dwayne muttered when he landed in a crouch beside David, tossing his hair over a shoulder.

"Tell me about it." David said with a snort as he took a drag on the joint that he had unearthed from an inside coat pocket. As he exhaled he handed it over to Dwayne, who took it without so much as a second glance. They may have their differences, but when it came to survival, they knew better than to bitch like a pair of sorority chicks.

"Well, there were two that really pissed me off." Dwayne said when he handed the joint over.

"And that's a good thing, right?" David chuckled as he looked over at Dwayne with a small smirk on his lips.

"One had a lot of nerve. Would have killed him if it wasn't for Prima Gatta." He muttered under his breath as he adjusted his position, now sitting cross-legged on the edge. David's smirk grew as he watched Dwayne, reading between the lines.

"I think someone's personal territory has been crossed." He said, meeting the other vampire's eyes with a knowing look. Dwayne didn't deny this nor confirm it.

"Fuck off." He growled, giving David a look that clearly told him where to shove it.

"Right." David mused as he took another drag and then handed the joint back to Dwayne. "So, who were they? Just humor my curiosity." He said when Dwayne shot him a skeptical look.

"Hollywood boys. Just arrived in town." Dwayne said, taking a final puff before flicking the butt away.

"Straight?" David asked, adjusting his gloves.

"Yeah. Just a pair of punks. Street smart by the look of them." Dwayne said, bringing up a vision of Paul and Marko in his mind. The two were quiet for a moment as David glimpsed the memory, seeing the two for himself.

"Age wise? What do you figure? Couldn't be more than twenty, twenty-one." David said as he rubbed his chin with the back of his hand, thinking.

"The smaller one is probably still in his teens. The loud mouth, I'd say twenty. Don't think he'll live much longer the way he's going." Dwayne said, a slight tone of bitterness in his voice when he said the last words.

"You like them?" David asked, ignoring Dwayne's growing personal grudge.

"Hell no." The other vampire stated at once.

"Good. I want to meet them." David said as he rose to his feet, completely unconcerned about the high winds that were trying to dislodge him from his perch.

"What? For fucks sake why?" Dwayne growled rising to his feet as well.

"Well, for one thing, if they've managed to piss you off, then they are worth a look at. They have something to them that struck some sort of emotional chord with you, good or bad. They could be trash, as you say, or they could be just what we're looking for. Secondly, it'll have to wait, seeing that dawn is about twenty minutes away." David said casually, looking off towards the horizon.

"You're a bastard David, do you know that?" Dwayne said quietly, shaking his head.

"You're not the first to tell me that." David said, slapping Dwayne on the back before vanishing with a flap of his coat. Dwayne muttered something under his breath and sighed. Well, it wasn't as if it were engraved in stone yet. But he wouldn't put it past David. Without another word, Dwayne launched himself off of the lighthouse and vanished into the mist, soaring downward towards the cave's entrance. Tomorrow was always another day. Maybe he'd get lucky and the two would end up dead before dusk.

As you can see, things were still a bit rocky and frankly I couldn't see if this would all work out. There was going to be rivalry, if not between Dwayne and David, who had already come to grips with the situation, but with Paul and Marko. Dwayne obviously disliked Paul and I think that the feeling was mutual. David didn't really care. He was thinking ahead, understanding the bigger picture and petty squabbles weren't going to dissuade him. He knew that something big was on the horizon, but it wasn't until a year later that any of us knew what it was. And Marko, I didn't know where he stood.

As for Paul and Marko, they ended up holing up in a roadside motel for a while, sleeping off their hangovers and planning what their next adventure would be. It was a week later that Paul and I ran into each other, completely by accident mind you, but it was enough to sign, stamp and seal the deal. Little did I know that we were playing right into David's hands…the idiot that I am. For all my psychic ability, I'm as blind as a bat sometimes when it comes to foretelling the future. I knew I should have paid attention to those tealeaves.


	5. Chapter 4

Dwayne had been dogging the two newcomers during the next two weeks, always keeping just out of sight. He had seen enough to know that the two were indeed street savvy as he had predicted, but also five-finger discount masters. The antics of the two amused him to some point, after all they were just a pair of kids out on the town, looking for a good time. Hadn't he been the same when he was that age? That seemed like ages ago instead of twenty-eight years. Had he really changed in all that time? Part of him said yes, but another part flat out refused. What was the point of being undead if you were too mature to pull shit that no sane human would ever dare to?

He grinned at that thought as he revved up his bike, giving the two fleeting figures one last glance before he pulled out of the alley that he had been waiting in. It was almost midnight and he had somewhere to be. If David really wanted the two then let him play baby-sitter. He had done enough watching for the night. With a small yawn, he tossed back his hair and roared down the street, running a red and headed for the suburban area that was twenty minutes from the Boardwalk. He had to see a lady about a cat.

"Waddaya think 'bout this one?" Paul asked as he looked at himself in the mirror at various different angels, eyeing the fringed leather jacket that he was wearing. He caught Marko's eye rolling and nodded.

"Yeah, piece of shit." He said as he shrugged off the jacket and tossed it onto the growing mound of previously tried on clothes that were piled in a corner.

"Listen man, we've been here for over two hours. Will you make up your mind already? I'm growin' old here." Marko said as he shifted in his seat, draping his legs over the arm of the chair that he had been occupying for the said amount of time. When he and Paul left LA, they had left in a hurry and only had time to make it out of there with a wallet full of cash and the clothes on their backs. Well, after the first week, they were broke and if it weren't for their many talents, would probably be starving as well. Both boys despised anything legal, so a proper job as out of the question. A few days ago, Paul had showed up with a small fortune in his back pocket and Marko could only guess where he had come by the cash. But he wasn't complaining, it meant that they had money for booze, girls and a new wardrobe. Only problem was that Paul was worse than a forty-year old woman when it came to shopping for clothes. He had to hem and haw about everything he tried on, which nearly drove Marko crazy...nearly.

"You complain worse than my mother. What about this one?" Paul asked as he grabbed a trench coat and whirled it on, eyeing himself closely in the three-sided mirror of the vintage shop that they were in.

"You don't even know your mother. And no, it makes you look like an undertaker." Marko said as he began to toy with a piece of airborne fluff, blowing at it to see how long he could keep it airborne.

"Figure of speech dude." He said, deciding whether or not he dug the whole solemn dead-guy look. After a few minutes of contemplation, he shook his head and the trench coat joined the others on the floor.

"C'mon Paul, just pick one already! We're burning precious partying time. And I for one had my eye on a certain bash that is going on down at the docks. Instead, I'm sitting here with you, contemplating killing myself just to see if I'd get a reaction outta you." Marko snorted as he hoisted himself out of the chair and walked towards Paul and the few other jackets that had yet to be tried on.

"Hell man, do you think I'm enjoyin' this? I'd rather be out getting hammered, but when it comes to getting a new set of dregs, you got to be careful with what you wear." He said as he eyed the remaining jackets carefully.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Here, try this one on." Marko said, randomly selecting a tailored black tuxedo jacket with tails and tossed it over to his friend.

"Who's getting' married?" Paul asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No one you moron. Just try it on. Trust me, ok?" Marko said, motioning Paul to put the jacket on so that they could get the hell out of there. Neither of the two paid any attention to the tinkling noise that accompanied the opening of the shop's door. Paul gave Marko a "yeah right" look as he tried on the jacket, adjusting a sleeve as he looked at his reflection.

"Not bad, not bad." He said as he slowly turned in a circle, eyeing every aspect of the jacket, liking what he saw. It was different, that was for sure. "Do ya think it makes me look sophisticated?"

"I think it makes you look like fool. But a cute fool." Said a voice from behind. Both boys spun around to come face to face with a grinning Fay.

"Hey! Fay! Waddaya say! Decided to come out for the day, eh?" Paul exclaimed as a huge grin plastered itself onto his face. "Hey! That rhymed."

"Note to self Paul, never become a poet." Fay said, but returned his high five with one of her own.

"Hey Marko, how's it hanging man?" She said as she slapped him playfully on the arm. The minute those words left her mouth, her right hand came up and instantly shushed Paul. "Don't say it. I know what you're going to say, so shush." She commanded, knowing exactly what sexual comment he was about to make. She didn't have to be psychic to know.

Marko grinned and shook his head. "Perfect timing. You just saved me from beating Paul within an inch of his life." He chuckled, running a hand through his hair.

"That bad huh?" Fay said, giving Paul a sidelong glance. "Do I want to know why?"

"In all probability, no." Marko said, looking deliberately at Paul, who was giving himself a couple of sidelong glances in the mirror, still eyeing the jacket.

"You going to pay for that, or are you waiting until it goes out of fashion to walk out of here?" Fay teased as she stepped forward and adjusted the collar, smoothing out the shoulders and gave it the once over. "I must say, it works."

"Thanks." Paul said, grinning like a Cheshire cat. First complement of the evening. Things could get interesting.

"So how have you been Fay? We haven't seen you in ages. Is Dwayne sulking in some shadow?" Marko asked as he shoved Paul towards the cash register to pay for the jacket, leaving him and Fay to catch up.

"Dwayne? Nah, I have no idea where he is. As for me, just the same old. You know how it is." Fay said with a tired smile, flicking back a loose strand of hair that had crept down between her eyes.

"Yeah, but what is the same old? You look exhausted." He said, watching her as he kept Paul within sight. He didn't know how Fay would feel if Paul just simply walked out of the store, leaving it missing a one hundred and fifty dollar jacket.

"Well," Fay began, scratching absently at her neck. "Things have been kinda hectic lately. With work and all. I got an audition for a touring Broadway musical that's coming to LA and so I'm been breaking my back trying to prepare a routine for that and then with the classes and such…it's been interesting." She said with a shrug.

"An audition? That's trippin' girl. I never knew you were an actor." Marko said, giving her a nod of congratulations. Fay blushed slightly and grinned.

"No, I'm not an actor. Do I look like a Prima Donna to you? Nah, I'm a professional dancer. And I kinda sing…a little. So I figured, why not take a shot at it. I don't want to end up teaching ballet steps to a bunch of eight year olds for the rest of my life." Fay said with a shrug.

"Do what for the rest of your life? What did I miss?" Paul asked as he suddenly appeared behind her, resting an arm on her shoulder. Fay jumped a mile, which caused Paul to smile all the more.

"Jesus Paul. Don't do that." Fay said, swatting at him with her nails. But it was all in good fun.

"Fay's a dancer Paul. She's taking a shot at stardom in some big fandangle Broadway thing." Marko said as the three of them headed for the door.

"You dance?" Paul said, looking down at her with renewed interest.

"Wow Marko, I love the way you explain things. And yes Paul, I dance. But not with a pole, so get that image out of your head. I have some integrity you know." She said as she pushed the door open and stepped outside.

"How did she know that?" Paul said frowning, giving Marko a strange look.

"Know what?" Marko asked, half in half out of the doorway.

"That I was imagining her pole dancing." He said, slightly disturbed.

"Paul, man. You are as easy to read as a frigging playboy magazine. You're too predictable, that's how she knew." Marko said as he stepped out of the shop. Paul stared after him and shrugged. Whatever.

"So boys, you doing something tonight other than shopping?" Fay asked when Paul finally joined them on the sidewalk.

"Well, there was this…" Marko started off before Paul cut him off.

"There's this rockin' party down at the docks that's going on right now. Marko and I were just heading over there. Why, you looking for a good time?" Paul asked, walking on her right side while Marko took up position on her left, sandwiching her between the two of them. Fay being only five foot four looked practically small standing walking being Paul, but it didn't seem to bother her none.

"I'm always looking for a good time Paul. But what I'm really looking for is some good music." She purred quietly as she sidestepped Paul and ended up walking on the metal side rail that bordered the entire boardwalk, perfectly balanced.

"Whoa, careful girl. You fall and it's gonna hurt." Paul said, his eyebrows now somewhere hidden in his bangs as he watched Fay pad past, taking tiny precise steps without wavering once. With a grin, she leapt up and over him, somersaulting once, and landed once more between the two.

"Don't worry about that Paul. I always land on my feet." She said with a mischievous grin as Marko simply gaped at her.

"How did you do that?" He asked her as he looked at Paul and then at Fay.

"When you wear point shoes for hours on end, you learn how to walk on your toes. Balance is an essential part of dancing. Without it, you're a moose on stilts." She said simply as she wrapped her arms around their, linking them. "Anyways, why don't we go and check out this party? If it's garbage, we'll just find another. In Santa Carla, there's always a party going on, no matter what time of day." She said, looking up at Paul and then at Marko with a raised eyebrow.

"What are we waitin' for? Let's go!" Paul said, grinning from ear to ear. The two friends looked at each other and gave themselves a mental high five. Score baby!

"So which of these crotch rockets are yours?" Fay asked as they arrived at the spot where they had parked their bikes, alongside a number of others.

"That would be your chariot right over there." Paul said as he indicated his bike with a flourish wave of his hand.

"Tell me Marko, is he always this chivalrous?" Fay asked as she hopped onto the back of Paul's bike, sitting sidesaddle, while Paul swung his leg over, straddling the bike.

"Chivalrous? Ha! He doesn't even know the meaning of the word." Marko cackled as he hopped onto his own machine and roared it to life. Paul's bike responded with a throaty roar of its own. The two guys cackled like a pair of crones while Fay just muttered to herself.

"Boys…typical." She snorted before Paul pulled away from the curb and shot down the street, a little too fast for comfort. "Eeek!" Fay squeaked as she clung to him for dear life, which was something he clearly enjoyed. "You so did that on purpose." She muttered as she prodded him in the stomach with a manicured fingernail. Minutes later, they were long gone, even before the dust had settled. Paul and Marko drove neck and neck as they took a detour onto the beach, sending sand flying at a bunch of people crowded around a bonfire. As they drove like maniacs, Fay muttered some choice words in seven different languages, reminding herself never to take a lift from Paul ever again, ever.

"What's the matter Fay? Afraid of a little speed?" Marko howled out as he swerved around a large driftwood log, coming up on Paul's right, grinning like a jackal.

"Me afraid? Ha! Don't make me laugh." She yelled back, but her death grip on Paul didn't relax in the least bit. Not that Paul was complaining or anything, but the girl had a set of sharp nails and the last thing he wanted as his new jacket, which he had paid for legally mind you, torn to shreds.

"Where did you say this party was?" Fay yelled out to Paul above the whistling of the wind.

"Just by the docks, you can hear the music from here." Paul answered back as they neared the docks. When they arrived, the party was in full swing, music was blaring, beer was being poured every which way and people were staggering drunkenly but still partied on.

"Now this is what I call a party." Paul howled as he slowed the bike and came to a stop on a small sand dune, overlooking the festivities.

"Not bad man." Marko said as he came to a stop right beside the two. "So why the hell are we just sitting here watching?" He asked, kicking down the kickstand and dismounting.

"My thoughts exactly little bro." Paul said as he hopped off and held out his hand to Fay. She looked at his hand and then at him before she accepted his hand and slid off the bike, adjusting her leather biker jacket.

"Next time, I'll walk." She said snippily before she laughed and swiped Paul's legs from under him with a clever twist of her foot.

"Hey!" Paul swore as he hit the sand. Fay gave him a little wave before she let out a shrill laugh and took off running, doing a few cartwheels along the way.

"That girl is just weird." Paul said as he leapt to his feet, shaking the sand off of him. "I love it."

"C'mon man, you're missing out!" Marko called over his shoulder as he dashed after Fay.

"Yo! Wait up!" Paul laughed as he ran after them, catching up in no time.

"What took you so long? Had to fix that hair of yours?" Fay asked innocently as she flaunted her own wavy locks, just to add salt to wound.

"You wish." He muttered before he reached out and caught her around the waist, hoisting her off of her feet. Fay screeched and squirmed like a live wire, but Paul's arms were locked and there was no escaping.

"Put me down you." She cawed as he walked towards the surf line, holding a wriggling Fay over his shoulder.

"Oh? So now you want me to put you down eh?" He laughed, but didn't expect what came next. One minute he was upright and the next minute he was once again on his back, but so was Fay, who was laughing up a storm.

"Jeez, nice goin' man." Paul muttered out he spat out sand. Marko was rolling off Paul's legs, having caught him in a low tackle, which knocked all three to the ground.

"Hey man, couldn't resist." Marko said with a toothy grin. Pretty soon, the two guys were wrestling one another as Fay dashed off to grab a few drinks.

"You know, this is cute and all but some people might get the wrong impression." She snickered when she returned, holding two red plastic cups in her hands and had one balanced on her head.

"Yeah? Well fuck them I say." Paul laughed as he accepted the glass that she handed to him.

"Thanks Fay." Marko panted as he chugged his beer down in one breath.

"Don't mention it." She said as she sat down beside the two of them, daintily sipping at her own drink, wrinkling her nose slightly at the taste. 'Oh by the way. There's this cute blonde over by the stereo that was checking you out. Why don't you go and say hi?" Fay told him as she looked over her shoulder and pointed the girl out. Marko raised his head and peered over in that direction, looking for the girl.

"A little too valley girl for my taste." Paul mused as he spotted the girl that Fay had mentioned.

"Paul, unless a girl is a dominatrix, they are all a little too valley girl for you." Marko said as he tossed his empty cup at Paul and rose to his feet. "Well, you know me. I hate to disappoint." Marko said as he adjusted his jacket and headed for the crowd.

"Yeah, don't we know it." Paul muttered under his breath. Fay smacked him lightly on the arm. "What?"

"So what's up with you and Marko? You still owe me a story." She said as she dumped the rest of her beer onto the sand and shoved the cup into the wet sand.

"You sure you wanna hear it?" Paul asked as he stretched himself out, propping himself up on his elbows.

"Try me." Fay said, tucking her legs under her, all ears at Paul.

"Well, when we were kids, we lived on the same street in the shady side of town. I was living with an aunt cause my dad ran out and my mother didn't give two fucks about me. I was basically dumped on my aunt's doorstep when I was six, so I don't really remember much about my parents. Anyways, Marko was living a few houses down, the first of six kids. His parents were good people, but poorer than church mice. When Marko was fourteen, his mom got sick, leukemia, and it fell to him and his dad to keep the family afloat. He won't talk about it if he can avoid it, but he took it pretty hard. At sixteen, he dropped outta school. He wanted to get a job to help out his old man. I dropped two years earlier cause I just wanted to get the hell out of there. Shipped out of my aunts house and holed up in a seedy apartment with a few other friends." Paul said as he drew various designs in the sand with his finger.

"Ever since we were kids, Marko always tagged along after me. My own little second shadow. He was a gutsy kid, following me into all kinds of shit. A few times we got ourselves into some pretty tight corners, but we always had each other's back and we've been able to survive like that. A couple of weeks ago, we had a run in with a few people that we hate beyond all reason, and they feel the same about us. Hell, it was over the stupidest thing, but it didn't matter. Let's just say things got pretty heated and we had to get out of there fast. So that's why we're here, place of all places." Paul said as he turned his head, looking to see what Marko was up to. He didn't have to worry; his friend was busy with the blonde, if you know what I mean.

"So that's why you and him are the way you are. Friendship wise I mean." Fay said, tugging at her sleeve.

"Yeah. Me and Marko are like brothers. I never had a family and his kinda adopted me into theirs. I owe his old man a lot and feel God awful of hightailing it out of LA without so much as giving him a heads up, but it was either get lost or a closed casket funeral." He muttered, erasing the doodles with a wipe of his hand.

"Have you guys at least called his father to tell him that you're still alive?" Fay asked, watching Paul closely.

"Yeah, it didn't go over so well. But at least he knows and Marko can go with a somewhat clear conscious for a little while longer. The truth is, I don't know how long we're going to be here. It might be a while before we can go back to LA." Paul said as he sat up, dusting the sand off of his elbows.

"Well, don't be too hard on yourself Paul. Shit happens to everyone. You just got to know how to deal with it. Give it time. Things will cool down before you know it. Just have a little patience and some faith." She said with a reassuring smile.

"Patience is nil and faith is non-existent." He said with a snort. Fay opened her mouth to say something, but Marko's shout cut her off. Fay let out a loud "Don't!" but it came two seconds too late. Paul was roughly hauled to his feet and before he could react, a fist came flying at his face, sending him crashing to the ground for the third time that evening. Dwayne stood over him like a cold sentinel, his face graved from stone, but his eyes burning with anger.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Fay hissed as she planted herself between the two, refusing to budge when Dwayne glared at her.

"Move." He growled softly, his dark eyes drifting from her to Paul who was struggling to his feet, a bit dazed from the blow. It felt as if someone had dropped an anvil onto his head.

"Don't you dare go pulling any of that alpha male crap on me pal. It might have worked in New Orleans, but it sure as hell isn't going to work on me." She growled right back, looking very much like a pissed of cat at this point. As Dwayne bodily moved Fay out of his way, Marko came sprinting up behind him and launched himself at the man, landing on his back with enough force to send Dwayne staggering.

"Marko no! Get off of him! Paul? Paul don't you dare!" She shrieked, loud enough to catch the attention of some of the partygoers. But the three guys didn't give her words a second thought. Things would have gotten ugly if it hadn't been for the commanding voice that stopped all four of them in their tracks.

"What the hell is going on here?" David said as he magically appeared out of nowhere, walking towards the brawling group with a deliberate calm to him. Dwayne slowly took his eyes off of Paul as he turned his head slightly, no easy feet seeing that Marko had him in a headlock while hanging off of his back. Paul didn't dare move, not knowing if this new arrival was good news or bad. Instead he stood there, bent nearly backwards with Dwayne's hand gripping his hair. It was Fay who spoke up.

"Nothing David, just a little disagreement. On what, I don't really know." She said in a pissed off voice, her arms crossed over her chest, and fists clenched.

David nodded his head slightly as he came to stand beside her, his eyes never leaving the three guys. "Let them go." He said to Dwayne, looking directly at the other vampire, staring him down. Despite David's "back off" glare, Dwayne didn't budge. Like I said before, Dwayne used to be the head of a vampire gang for the past twenty years. He wasn't used to having to do what he was told.

"There are people watching." He said quietly, his eyes never leaving Dwayne's. No on dared to breath for the next few moments. Paul and Marko didn't have a clue as to what was really going on between the two guys, but Fay did. The two vampires were having it out in a silent battle of the wills. If Dwayne won, there were going to be problems. Thankfully, it was David who was the victor that night and since then, Dwayne never once undermined his authority. David was the more powerful vampire and Dwayne was stated with being his right hand man.

Dwayne blinked once and let Paul go. Fay tugged Marko off of the vampire's back and made sure he was ok before turning to Paul.

"That's the second time that guy has done that to me." Paul growled, but didn't dare make a show of it. Instead, he and Marko turned their attention towards the guy who had saved their necks, somehow feeling drawn to him.

"Listen man, thanks and all, but you should make sure you keep a leash on this guy. He's fucking out of his mind." Paul said, giving Dwayne a dark look before turning back to David.

"Don't worry. It won't happen again." David said, eyeing Paul with those chilling blue eyes of his. Paul couldn't repress the shiver that ran through his body as David locked gazes with him for a moment. It was like trying to stare down a cobra as you waited for it to strike.

"You two must be Paul and Marko. Fay's told me a lot about you two." David said, walking towards the two.

"No I haven't." Fay piped up, giving David a piercing look.

"Yes you have. You just don't remember." David said, his voice carrying a hidden tone that she couldn't ignore. Paul and Marko shared a suspicious look as David came towards them and extended his hand.

"I'm David and I see that you've already met Dwayne." He said in a somewhat friendly voice, smiling slightly as they shook hands. For a brief second, David's eyes looked over their shoulder and right at Dwayne. Dwayne nodded his head and walked over to Fay who was fuming at this point, ready to call David on his game.

"Yeah." Marko said when he shook David's hand. "Ah, thanks for stepping in."

"Don't mention it." David said with a smirk as a pack of smokes and a lighter suddenly appeared in his gloved hands. "Care for a light?" He asked them.

As the three of them lit up, Fay was silently bristling, her suspicion rising by the second. The guy was about as easy to read as the Rosetta stone, but she had a pretty good idea of why he was being cordial to the two friends. It spelled disaster.

"Dwayne, what's David planning?" She muttered to Dwayne as he came up beside her.

"Nothing." He said quietly, putting an arm over her shoulders, one that she shrugged off instantly.

"Don't give me that crap Dwayne. You know that I'm not so easily fooled. Let me guess, the plan is to get two more to join your ranks. Is that it? Well, here's a news flash for you. It's not going to happen. Not to those two. I won't allow it." She spat, trying to sidestep Dwayne as he kept getting in her way, keeping her of the three others.

"Fay, it's David. Not even I could stop him if I wanted to." He said calmly as reached out and grabbed her wrist, gently yanking her to him.

"Yeah? And I'm a witch remember? If there's anyone who can handle him it's me. And will you let me go! Don't make me pull a Psycho. I can create a stampede in a second." She said as she tried to yank her arm out of his grasp.

Dwayne knew he was going to regret this, but it just hand to be done. Without wasting another moment, he crushed her to him and trapped her in a kiss that sent her mind reeling. He took the opportunity and invaded her mind with his; dazing her to the point that she wasn't quite sure what was going on. He knew his mental block wasn't going to hold for long and he had to act fast. Fay's magical abilities made things a lot more difficult than any normal human would, which made trying to keep her out of the picture a burden. She could easily pull the same stunt on him. The advantage that he had was that she wasn't expecting it. If she had, he would have been staggering around like a drunk.

"It's alright babe. I'm just gonna take you home. You've had way to much to drink." He murmured in her ear as he half supported, half carried her away from David and the boys. Fay blinked slowly and nodded, not really understanding what he said. Without further incident, the two left the beach behind without being missed. Once out of sight, Dwayne took to the air, leaving David to lure the two unsuspecting friends to their demise.

It was ten minutes later when Paul noticed that Fay and Dwayne were missing.

"Hey David. Where did Fay go?" He asked, looking around quickly. He hadn't realized it, but during those ten minutes, the three of them had wandered off down the beach, not realizing where they were going. Now Paul found himself on a mist-shrouded bluff, away from all forms of life.

"She and Dwayne went to go sort out a few things. Don't worry about them. You'll see them soon." David said, his voice calming and reassuring.

"Yeah Paul. You got to relax man." Marko said, as he stood beside David, completely seduced under his spell. David smirked. This was just too easy. Lull them into a sense of security and then mesmerize them. Like leading sheep to the slaughter.

"Listen to your friend Paul. Everything's perfect. Trust me." He said, his voice affecting the two friends more than any calm inducing drug ever would.

Yeah, everything was perfect. There was no need to worry. He trusted David completely. Everything was as it should be.

Those were the last thoughts that crossed their minds before Paul and Marko blacked out. They wouldn't remember the cold chuckle that followed nor the pain. When they woke, things were going to be a whole lot different, not just for them, but for everyone.


	6. Chapter 5

**Note from Author: Greetings all. I apologise for not posting this chapter earlier, but I have been fairly busy and it always got postponed. Anyways, here is the long awaited chapter 6 soon to be followed by Chapter 7. To answer a question that someone asked me in a review about Star, the answer is yes, she will be included in this story. Remember this takes place two years prior to the actual movie as well as everything else up to that point in time. I will be cutting back so this story won't end up being 80 chapters long, so everyone, please bear with me. **

**Thank you to all those who have reviewed. I hope you all enjoy this new installment.**

**Happy Reading. **

* * *

_Even now, after all these years, it's still hard to me to tell this part of the story. There's still a part of me that blames myself for what happened. I should have seen it coming; I should have put a stop to it before that night. For all my great and glory be fucking "powers", I couldn't do, or more like didn't do a damn thing to save those two. I haven't completely forgiven myself for it and I don't think I ever will. It'll be something that I'll be carrying into the afterlife, whenever that is. _

_Here, just read on. I can't say any more. See for yourself. You might not like it, but it has to be said._

"Marko…wake up. For God's sake wake up man." It was Paul's voice that made its way through the fog that surrounded Marko's mind, finally bringing him to his senses. Marko groaned as Paul helped him into a sitting position, both of the boys unsteady and dazed. 

"Man, I feel like shit." Marko gagged as he rested his forehead on his bent knees, waiting until the world stopped spinning before he lifted his head to look at his friend. "Did we smoke up some bad weed last night?" He asked, loosing the battle with gravity and laying back down, curling up into a ball to ride out the nauseated feeling that swept over him.

"I don't know bro, I can't remember a fucking thing." Paul said, gingerly shaking his head. He felt as if he had just been run over by a Mac truck and then wrung out like a wet rag. He had groggily regained consciousness and couldn't figure out who he was or which way was up for a good few minutes. When the vertigo had finally passed, he looked around not really taking in his surroundings before he saw Marko sprawled beside him, dead to the world.

"Paul," Marko murmured as his vision cleared enough for him to see his friend clearly.

"What." Paul growled, massaging his temples. God, beating his head in with a pickaxe would be less painful than the migraine that was pounding in his skull.

"Where are we?" Marko asked, rolling over onto his back, still not trusting himself to get up.

"Huh?" Paul said, looking over at Marko.

"Look." Marko said, rubbing a hand over his face. Paul blinked and looked about owlishly. It took a while before things started to sink in.

"Are we dead?" Marko asked, the words just spilling out of his mouth without him realizing it. Paul snorted, which was not a smart thing to do, and then swore softly.

"Ah…god I hate hangovers." He swore to himself. "No, we're not dead. We wouldn't be feeling like this if we were. I think we're under ground…looks like some sort of cavern…I think." He said as he carefully tried to stand up. Before he was even half way up, his legs gave way and he collapsed back onto the ground.

"Ok, not good." Paul said as he just lay there, trying to figure out what was wrong with him. No hangover would ever do this. What exactly did they do last night?

"Good evening boys. I wasn't expecting you two to wake for a few more hours." Said a vaguely familiar voice. It was hard to pin point the voice because it seemed to echo off the walls. Paul lifted his head, trying to find the owner of the voice. He gave a start of surprise when he realized that the guy was standing right at his feet, staring down at them with a bemused smirk.

"Who the hell are you?" Paul demanded as he forced himself up into a sitting position. Marko's eyes were glued on David, but he didn't move. He'd let Paul handle this one.

"Don't you remember? Last night, the party on the beach, the fight with Dwayne. Come on, it's not that hard." David said, watching them with those eerie eyes.

"Don't fucking play mind games with me right now. Just answer the goddamn question." Paul growled darkly, not giving two shits as to who the smirking bastard was. This guy was starting to annoy him and right now, he had enough to deal with.

"Paul, maybe you shouldn't…" Marko said, his eyes following David's every move. Something in him told him that this wasn't a guy you wanted to piss off.

"It's alright Marko." David said quietly, giving him a small smile. Marko blinked in surprise and sat up as David crouched down in front of the two so that he was eye-level with both of them. "I'm David and we met last night. It seems that the party was a little too rough on you guys." He said, eyeing the black eye that Dwayne had given Paul. Paul raised a hand on the left side of his face and winced as the purple bruise made itself known.

"Who did you say I got into a scrap with?" Paul asked, images of the party starting to become clear in his mind.

"The same guy that tried to take your head off the last time." David said and watched as realization finally appeared on Paul's face.

"That mother-fucking son-of-a-bitch!" Paul swore with a vengeance, one that caused him to wince in pain as his pounding headache responded to the rising emotion. "So how the fuck did we get here? And why the fuck do we feel like we got hit by a fucking train?"

"I brought you guys here. I couldn't leave you two lying dead to the world in the middle of nowhere, now could I?" He said as he rose to his feet. He stepped over Paul's legs and walked past Marko, who shrank back, wanting to keep as much distance between himself and this David dude as possible.

"Yeah, but that only answers one fucking question." Paul snarled, blinking slowly as the throbbing in his head began to subside.

"Impatient are we? You need to relax Paul. You're only going to cause yourself more pain." David said, completely ignoring the crude hand gesture that Paul sent his way.

"Where is here exactly?" Marko spoke up, drawing David's attention away from Paul for the time being.

"My home." David responded.

"You live here? I mean…seriously? You live in this cave thing?" Marko asked, trying to figure out why a guy like David would live in a cave. I mean it's a _cave. _

"Seriously." David answered as he glanced around the cave. There wasn't much to see, just a few odds and ends that he had managed to install during his stay. He wasn't big on the décor and neither was Dwayne, so the cave was pretty much bare, with the exception of the huge Jim Morrison picture that hung in its place of honour on the back wall. If there was one thing that David truly appreciated, it was the music that Jim created. The man was a rock legend and in a way, David seemed to look up to the guy. Well, it was kind of difficult not to, seeing that the poster was at least twelve feet tall.

"And just when you think you've seen everything, you wake up one day stuck in a cave with a mad hermit. Are you believing this? Cause right now I don't know what to believe." Paul said to Marko as he tried once more to get to his feet. This time he succeeded, barely. "Look, we can compare home decorating tips later. Just tell us why my friend and I are so shit-faced will you?" He said as he shook his head and straightened up, getting a hold on his temper as he did so.

David looked Paul over slowly, saying nothing for a while as he contemplated on how he was going to break the news to the two of them. As the minutes passed, Paul's temper began to flare again. David's deliberate silence was really starting to piss him off and for some reason all he wanted to do was punch that annoying smirk right off the guy's face.

"Fine, you want to know so here it is." David said quietly, his voice snapping Paul out of his train of thought. "You're dying."

"What?" Marko whispered, not quiet believing him but for some reason accepting his word as the truth at the same time. He looked up at Paul, eyes full of fear and uncertainty, as Paul blanched at what David had just said. The cave was quiet for a few minutes, the distant sound of waves crashing against the surf was the only thing that could be heard.

"Are you trying to be funny or something?" Paul said quietly, fixing David a glare that would have made Vincent Price proud. His right hand curled into a tight fist as he fought the urge to physically hurt David. In a situation like this one, he knew better than to loose his cool. It was obvious that they were dealing with some sort of sick psychopath and blowing his stack wasn't going to help them. But for the life of him, he just couldn't shake this foreign feeling of rage that was building up inside of him. Marko scrambled up to his feet and stood behind Paul as his eyes remained glued onto David, who just stood there as calm as you please.

"Am I laughing?" David asked Paul as he arched an eyebrow, deliberately taunting him. That was the last straw. Something inside Paul snapped and the next thing he knew he was flying at David with his arm swinging, aiming to knock his head off. But the blow never connected.

"Oh my God." Paul gaped, as he froze in mid-stride. Marko let out a yelp of fear as David grinned, jagged teeth gleaming slightly in the firelight. One minute David had been standing there smirking away, but when Paul came at him David let him have it. The sight of David's vampiric face had done exactly what he had expected and the two friends stood petrified as they stared at him, completely blown out of the water.

"God has nothing to do with it." David chuckled his grin morphing into a demonic sneer that sent the two running for their lives.

"AH!" Paul screamed as David suddenly appeared in front of him as he turned to bolt, blocking his way completely.

"Are we satisfied yet?" David asked as he stalked forward, forcing Paul backwards. Paul swore as he tripped over a fallen beam, backing away as fast as he could in an attempt to get away from David. "Well?" David asked as he grabbed Paul by the collar of his jacket and hauled him to his feet single-handedly.

"What the fuck do you want man!" Paul cried as David brought his face a mere inch away from his own. He couldn't tear his eyes away from David's demonic yellow ones. He could actually see his own terrified reflection in those hypnotic eyes.

"What I want is for you to…" David began but before he could say "relax", Marko came up behind him and smacked him over the head with a broken wooden spar that he had found.

"Argh!" David snarled as he threw Paul away from him and turned to face Marko. Even though David's vicious snarl scared him senseless, Marko didn't back down. Wielding the piece of wood like a sword, Marko kept David distracted while Paul picked himself up and moved away from David.

Now, David wasn't trying to kill the boys, he just went a tad overboard with the whole "show and tell" thing. That's what happens when you end up becoming a cave dwelling hermit for fifteen years, you forget how to interact with people. Oh, his people skills have improved…slightly, but back then, well, you can see for yourself. He was anticipating that the two would be struck dumb for a few minutes more so he could get a word in edgewise, but sometimes one can forget how powerful the fight or flight instinct really is. Paul and Marko were on mach three. Well, wouldn't you be if there was a sneering vampire standing right in front of your face?

"Marko put the wood down." David said in a leveled voice as he dodged a jab to the chest. Marko's only response was swinging the wooden spar so that David was forced to take a step back.

"You're a fucking vampire!" Marko cried as David whirled under his defense and grabbed the wood with one hand, wrenching it out of Marko's grasp as he did so.

"And so are you." David told him as Marko scrambled backwards, shaking his head in denial.

"No way. No fucking way man." Marko yelled as he found himself backed up against the cave wall with nowhere else to go. He looked about him wildly, trying to find something, anything he could use as a weapon, but there was nothing.

"Just calm down for a minute and I'll explain everything." David said, his face morphing back to his human self, which just freaked the already frightened kid even more.

"Like hell you will, you fucking nutcase!" Paul roared as he ran to Marko's aid, the rage coming back in full force.

"Not so fast little man." Came an all-too familiar snarl as none other than Dwayne in full vamp mode wrenched around Paul with nothing but a hairsbreadth space between them. Paul got the full blast of Dwayne's roar as the vampire prepared to do some serious bodily harm to the guy, but Paul wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"DWAYNE STOP!" David snarled turning away from Marko for a split second to see the two guys ram each other's fists in the others face. If David didn't intervene soon, Dwayne would kill Paul and that was something that he didn't want to have happen. Only problem was Marko used David's momentary distraction to make his move. With a force born from desperation, Marko lashed out with his foot and nailed David a blow to the groin with enough power behind it to land a forty-yard touchdown. David blanched and crumpled to the floor, completely lost in the pain.

_Aside: It doesn't matter what species you are, that's got to hurt like hell!_

'Run man! Just run!" Paul shouted as he brought his knee up and rammed it into Dwayne's stomach. "I'll be right behind you!" Paul motioned Marko to head for the stairs as he grabbed a handful of Dwayne's long hair and threw him down. Marko fled up the stairs thinking that Paul would be behind him in a minute and ran out of the cave, taking the wooden stairs up to the cliff face two at a time. Meanwhile, Paul knew that there would be no quick escape and as Dwayne tackled him to the ground, he knew that he had bought Marko some time.

_Not a very pretty sight isn't it? That night I had woken up cursing David to the seven circles of hell because that little mind trick that Dwayne worked on me worked a little too well. I knew I was probably too late, but I went out anyways searching the streets for any sign of them. I had a few alley cat friends on the search as well and it was one of them who found Marko hiding in a back alley, shaking like a leaf in a hurricane. He was a complete mess, emotionally wise, and it took some time to finally get him calmed down to the point where I could understand his yammering and figure out what had happened. Getting him back to my place was a challenge. Thank god for the late-night taxi service that runs in downtown Santa Carla. I was forced to use a sleeping spell on him to prevent him from jumping out of the car and going back for Paul. I swear, that boy would follow Paul into hell and back if he had to. Damn that David, I knew I should have hexed him when I had the chance. But I also knew what was yet to come. Sometimes I feel wholly responsible for them. To me, they were just a bunch of kids, deadly but still kids. That's the problem with being a Prima. We are wise beyond our years, as the saying goes, but we feel even older than that. They were kids who lived for the fun and the thrill, while I stayed in the background, cleaning up their messes and keeping my eye on them. Crazy Cat Lady or Super Mom, you decide._

_That night I knew that whatever happened, I'd be there for them. That decision was potentially hazardous to my health, but I owed Paul and Marko that much. I would be their eye to watch with, their ear to listen with and in Marko's case, their psychiatrist whenever the burden of being undead got to them. Oh sure, it sounds like complete bullshit, but it's the truth, I swear it. And it wouldn't be the first time that a witch became the confidant of a vampire. It has happened over the years. As that bastard Max once said, "all boys need a mother," and he was right._


	7. Chapter 6

It had been five days since that night in the cave and Marko was still as high-strung as a racehorse, ready to bolt at the merest puff of wind. No amount of coaxing would get him to come out of the house, which was probably a good thing seeing that David and his ever-growing posse would probably be out searching the streets for their lost boy. But it was only a matter of time before they came knocking on the door and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.

"Marko. Hey Marko! Can you get the phone!" Fay yelled out from the bathroom as she quickly wrapped a towel around her head, twisting it into a makeshift turban as she slipped on her pink, fluffy bathrobe. Figaro was sitting calmly on the toilet seat lid, licking the dampness off of his paw as he watched Fay bustle about, grabbing hairspray bottles, brushes and whatever it was that women used on their hair in those days.

"Uh, Fay? It's for you." Marko said softly as he suddenly materialized outside of the bathroom doorway, looking uncomfortable as he kept his eyes on the floor.

"Did you ask who it is? Here, hold these." Fay said as she hurried out of the bathroom, shoving a bunch of toiletries into Marko's arms before dashing off to her bedroom. Marko glanced down at the stuff in his arms before raising an eyebrow and quickly looking away. There were just some things that a guy didn't want to know girls and feminine hygiene products were one of those things. He scurried after her and tiptoed into the room, depositing her stuff onto her bed and quickly exited.

"Ugh," he grimaced as he walked down the corridor, only to be stopped by an accusatory glare from two of Fay's many cats. "What?" He said as the cats looked at each other and turned their backs to him, walking away with their tails held high.

"Fine, be that way." Marko snorted before he headed for the guest bedroom that Fay had given him to stay in. The curtains were raised and the window was opened. They remained tightly closed during the day, but at night Fay kept them open. She had told him that if he didn't want to step out of the house that was his choice, but there was no way that she was going to keep the windows shut if there was a decent breeze outside. Marko sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. Things were starting to get difficult and even though Fay had done a thorough job explaining everything there was to know about vampires and stuff, he couldn't bring himself to face her. He had been surprised to find out that she was a twelfth generation witch, but the house load of cats kind of made it obvious.

"Hey, you ok?" Fay asked as she stuck her head into the room, eyeing Marko quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He replied, giving her a forced smile that she didn't buy for a second. With a snort, she walked into the room, robe and all, and sat down on the bed beside him, completely unafraid.

"No you're not. We both know it. So spill it." She said as she pulled a brush out of a huge pocket and placed it on her lap. She kept one ear cocked, listening to him while she unwound the towel turban and started to brush her hair, which was easier said than done.

"It's getting harder now. I…I don't know what it is. Every night I feel drawn to something, something out there, but I don't want to know what it is. And then…there's the _other_ thing." He said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, eyes downcast like they usually were of late. Fay pursed her lips as she continued to brush her hair, watching Marko from the corner of her eye. There was no denying it, Marko was a half-vampire and it was really starting to show. She had caught him yesterday trying to take a bite out of one of her cats, but it did him more harm then good. Those cats can take care of themselves, be it from dogs, other cats or even vampires.

"It just gets harder every day. I don't know how long I can fight it…" He trailed off, his tongue failing him. Fay put the brush down and sighed.

"I know, I know." She said softly as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders and cradled him, much like a mother would do to a child. It was the only comfort that she could give him. It wasn't enough, but at least it was something. "It's David." She said softly as she rocked him back and forth, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. "That thing that you're drawn to is David. He's trying to coax you out…it's a vampire thing." She murmured as her eyes strayed to the open window and out into the night. They were out there, somewhere, searching.

"What's that?" Marko said as he suddenly stiffened and pulled away, listening.

"What's what?" Fay asked, listening as well, but didn't hear anything out of the ordinary.

"They're coming." Was all he said. Fay looked at him with a slight frown before realization hit her. Vampire hearing was exceptionally acute.

"Well then, I'll just have to send them packing." She said, all business now as she rose to her feet. With a flick of her wrist, the window slammed shut and locked itself as the curtains flew over it. "I want you to stay here. No matter what you hear, you stay put." Fay said, as she adjusted her robe and walked out of the room. Marko tried to follow, but Fay stopped him.

"Stay put." She said as the door slammed shut and locked itself just like the window had.

Marko cursed but hurried over to the window as the distinct sound of motorcycles was heard, breaking the balmy atmosphere of the suburban neighbourhood. He carefully peeked through the curtains to see David, Paul and Dwayne pull up in front of the house. He pulled away from the window when David looked up and glanced right at him, the knowing smirk appearing on his lips.

While Marko paced the bedroom, Fay was on the warpath. Knife in pocket, her sleeves rolled up and Figaro hot on her heels, she marched straight for the front door and threw it open just as David reached for the doorknob. With a wordless feline snarl, Fay lashed out at David, nailing him a blow to the face before he even knew what hit him.

"YOU BASTARD!" She shrieked as she threw her hand out once more, not even touching him as he was bodily thrown off the porch by an invisible force, landing on his back as she slammed the door behind her. He hit the ground and rolled back onto his feet, swearing.

"What the fuck!" He growled as he took his hand away from his face, his glove covered in blood. Fay hadn't bitch-slapped him, she had clawed him, clawed him hard enough to leave bleeding furrows across his face.

"Either of you boys move and I swear I'll send you into outer orbit." She hissed, raising her hand toward Dwayne and Paul as they moved towards David. Paul and Dwayne exchanged glanced, not knowing whether they should risk it or not. David motioned for them to back down as he stepped forward to face the furious Fay.

"Why all the fuss Fay?" David asked steadily, ignoring the token of her affection on his face as he stared her down, not budging an inch.

"Why the fuss? Why you sneering low-life son-of-a-man whore! I THINK YOU KNOW WHY ALL THE FUSS GODDAMIT!" She belted, marching down those steps like a dark thundercloud ready to unleash some serious damage. She stopped a foot away from David, looking up at him as she stood toe to toe, the calm before the fury.

"Why don't you speak a little louder Fay? The neighbours are watching." He hissed between his teeth, keeping his face a mask of neutral calm, his composure never wavering as she visibly spazzed out, just short of hissing and spitting like a freaked out cat.

"Maybe I will speak a little louder so that the entire world can know of how much of a dick you are David." She shot right back, her hand twitching as she fought the urge to backhand that smug expression right off of his face.

"Hey Fay, it's ok man. Just calm down for a minute." Paul said, trying ease the mounting tension, only to have his efforts blow up in his face.

"Shut up Paul! No it is _not_ ok and no I will _not_ calm down." Fay snarled at him, one finger pointed in his direction.

"Honestly Fay, enough of the dramatics. I would have thought that a witch would have a little more self-control." David said as she turned back to him, her eyes flashing.

"Don't you talk to me about self-control. Is there even a demon under that pasty white shell of yours or is this the only facial expression you can manage?" Fay growled, lowering her voice a tad before she actually woke any of the neighbours up. A witch having it out with a gang of vampires in the middle of the American dreamland somehow didn't seem quite right.

"Was that an insult because it was a little weak." David commented, his expression hardly changing as she shot him a searing glare.

"What do you want David." She growled as she bit back what she really wanted to say at that moment. The guy just got under your skin and in order to win this battle, freaking out in the middle of the street wasn't the best tactic to use. Fine, she'll fight fire with frigging fire.

"You know what I want Fay. I've come to claim what is mine." David said as his eyes briefly strayed up to the window that Marko was looking out of.

"No, I won't allow it. You can't have him." Fay simply and utterly refused, right then and there, no questions ask. It was simply out of the question.

"You know the rules Fay. You can't interfere." David said steadily, knowing that what he said was the truth. A witch could not interfere with a vampire's business when it came to siring fledglings. It was a rule that Fay knew well, but she was ready for him.

"Yes, but as long as he seeks sanctuary under my protection and in my house, you can't do a damn thing about it. But I guess you already knew that did you. And that's why you brought your little "gang" with you. What, you were going to have Dwayne and Paul fight me off while you dragged that boy out of the house? Not fucking likely." She said, crossing her arms over her chest as she put her foot down. She may have accidentally invited every vampire in the California state to come barging into her house, but that didn't mean she was helpless. She has her own ways with dealing with vampires.

As Fay and David went head to head, Dwayne nudged Paul and motioned at the porch with a slight nod of his head. There were cats everywhere, sitting along the railing, on the steps, practically covering every inch of the porch. They had appeared without a sound and were watching Dwayne and Paul with dangerous, gleaming eyes as if they knew what they were up to. No sneaking around the back for those two. Time to go to plan B.

"He's a half-vampire Fay. What are you going to do with him? There's no turning him back unless you kill me and that isn't likely to happen any time soon, so what were you planning to do with him? Hmm? Wait until he looses it completely and attacks you so then you'll be forced to kill him? The whole Mother Teresa act is touching Fay, but it has to stop." David said, as if trying to make the stubborn witch see reason. What he was really doing was buying time, forcing her to channel her concentration on him so that Dwayne could get a mind-lock on Marko and coax him out mentally. Fay, in all of her anger, wasn't aware of what was going on behind her back and neither were the cats.

Fay swore a stream of colourful words that would have made a sailor blush as she told David exactly what she thought of him.

"You underestimate me David. You think that I haven't thought about that? Like you said, the only way to turn him back is to kill you. And what makes you think that I haven't thought about doing just that?" Fay said, bringing down the raging eruption to a simmer just below her self-control. She stared at David, mirroring his cocky smirk, and watched as a flash of uncertainty crept across those devilish blue eyes of his. What she bluffing or was she really serious?

"What's the matter? Not so sure of yourself anymore?" She asked as she cocked an eyebrow.

Paul stood in front of Dwayne, blocking him from Fay's line of vision just in case she decided to glance their way. He was chewing on his lower lip without even realizing it as he quietly urged Dwayne to hurry up. Things weren't looking so good.

"C'mon man, get him out of there before all hell breaks loose." Paul muttered under his breath as he watched David and Fay size each other up, looking for the best place to strike the most devastating blow. They reminded him of a pair of gladiators that he had once seen in a picture in a history textbook, both imposing in their own way and both ready to kill when the moment was right.

"I'm trying as hard as I can. He's resisting me damn it." Dwayne growled softly as he redoubled his efforts, attacking Marko's mind harder than ever. The kid was fighting hard, but it was only a matter of time before Dwayne would break through. All he needed was more time.

"You're bluffing. You couldn't kill me even if you tried." David said, switching tactics as he went back to being offensive, prodding Fay with his words so that she would make the first move and the last mistake.

"Oh really? Don't tempt me David. I could have your head on my wall before sunup if I wanted to." Fay retorted as the two slowly began to circle one another. Paul moved back as David prowled past him, watching the two with a sick fascination.

"Then go ahead because I'm not leaving here without him. If that means killing you to do it, well, what's one less witch in the world?" David leered, taunting her with his eyes as a matador would taunt a bull with a red flag. Fay didn't say anything, but the snarl she gave was answer enough. They were going to lock horns and someone was going to get hurt tonight.

"David, you don't seriously mean that right? I'm mean…c'mon, you're joking right?" Paul interjected, not knowing if David was actually serious about killing Fay.

"What do you think?" David snapped at Paul, taking his eyes off Fay for a split second and that's when Fay decided to strike.

"Holy shit! Dwayne do something!" Paul said, stumbling backwards as David leapt away from Fay's knife as she lunged, aiming to gut him with a downward swipe. Dwayne swore something in French as he tore his eyes away from the bedroom window, severing the mental connection that he had been forging for the past ten minutes. David and Fay were battling it out, Fay lunging and retreating as David danced just out of the knife's reach, drawing her away from the front door with every step he took. If David had actually wanted to kill her, he would have made his move by now. Instead, the two of them kept up their deadly dance; twisting and sidestepping like a pair of cobras fighting for dominance.

"Go left." Dwayne barked as he circled the other way, keeping well out of the combatants' way. He watched them fight it out, calculating and timing their movements as a choreographer would do with a pair of dancers. He wasn't fool enough to simply jump into the middle of the fight, so he had to take care of how he went about trying to separate the two. Paul mirrored Dwayne as he kept just outside the line of fire, his eyes locked onto Fay's knife. When Dwayne made his move, he'd go for the knife. Vampire or no vampire it's all fun and games until someone looses an eye or worse.

Dwayne waited until David backed off before he sidestepped the vampire leader and came up between the two, shoving David away with his shoulder as he blocked Fay's oncoming blow with his arm. Paul lunged at the woman in pink and grabbed her knife arm, hauling her away from the two vampires as he wrestled her for the possession of the weapon. For a woman that petite, she was a lot stronger than he would have guessed.

"NO! STOP!" Marko cried out as he ran out of the house, causing the cats to scatter in all directions. He had been fighting his own mental battle with Dwayne, but when he had stopped feeling the effects of Dwayne's telepathic abilities, he had rushed to the window to see the two leap into the fray. Someone would end up dead because of him and when he saw Paul go for Fay he knew that he had to stop them. Breaking through the locked door with a blow from his shoulder, he had practically flown out of the house in his desperation.

"_Let go."_ She hissed as she twisted and slipped out of Paul's grasp, the knife flashing upwards as the tip caught Paul just above his left eye. Paul let out a surprised yelp as he backed off, instinctively bringing his hand up to the wound. It hurt like hell but there was no blood.

"Holy oil. Very clever." David growled as he looked at Paul's wound and then to the knife that was glinting under the lamplight. The oil that coated the knife had the same affect on vampires as holy water did, scarring, pain and instant cauterization.

"Marko, get inside." Fay panted as she fought to catch her breath, knife still held tightly in her right hand. She glared defiantly at the three of them, willing to take them all on at once if it meant keeping Marko out of David's clutches. The kid had struck a chord in her, one that had awoken a part of her that she hadn't known existed. Maybe it was feminine side of her working in overtime, but whatever it was, she felt responsible for Marko and like hell was just going to stand there and no nothing.

"No." Marko said, shaking his head. He couldn't believe he was doing this. It could possibly the worst decision that he ever made, but he couldn't stand by and watch his friends tear themselves to pieces because of him. "No more fighting." He said, avoiding everyone's gaze by staring down at the ground. Fay gaped at him, not quite believing what he was implying. After a few minutes, the fury in her eyes died out and she seemed to crumple slightly. David had won.

Paul gave a sigh of relief when Fay lowered the knife and slipped it into her pocket. He stepped away and moved back to the bikes when Dwayne herded Marko past Fay. The half-vampire couldn't meet Fay's eye as he walked past. What was there to say? He had chosen and it was going to be a decision that he alone would carry.

"Welcome to the fold little brother." Paul said, slapping Marko on his shoulder as he mounted his bike. Marko gave him a weak smile before he climbed on behind him, keeping his eyes downcast. Paul and Dwayne exchanged a look and with a slight nod of Dwayne's head, Paul kicked the bike to life and went tearing down the quiet suburban street. No one said anything until the roar of the motorcycle became a thing of the past.

"I'll meet you at the cave." David murmured quietly to Dwayne as he took his leave. He glanced at Fay who was determined to burn a hole into the grass with her eyes. He thought about saying something, but then decided against it. She would only throw it back in face and with witches; you never knew what they might pull when given the chance. They both knew that he was the victor of this authoritative dispute, but David had a feeling that it wouldn't end here. He may have won the battle, but the war wasn't over yet.

"I hope you can stomach the consequences of your actions David. I wouldn't be surprised if they gave you heartburn." Fay growled as she raised her gaze from the patch of now dead brown grass that she had been cursing and speared David with a look that would have sent a lesser vampire backing away with his tail tucked between his legs, so to speak. David met her gaze and his only was answer was the harsh growl of his bike as he revved the engine and pulled out of the driveway. Fay watched him drive away, her eyes narrowed into slits as she muttered something under her breath. It was now only her and Dwayne left on the empty street, aside from the cats that were now watching them intently. Dwayne ran a hand through his hair as he looked around. Well, might as well say something to break the silence.

"Look, Fay…" He began before his voice trailed off. He watched Fay stiffen and turn around to face him and it took a lot of nerve for him to keep from taking a step back. To say that she was pissed off was clearly an understatement.

"_What_." Fay growled from between clenched teeth.

"You knew this would happen. It was only a matter of time before he went a-wall. There was nothing you could do Fay." He said, telling it like it was, even if Fay refused to hear it.

"Whatever Dwayne." She sighed before turning her back on him and headed for the stairs.

"Fay, don't do this." Dwayne said as he started after her.

"_Reeeeeeeerrrrr, hisssss_," Fat Cat snarled as he planted his great bulk between Fay and Dwayne, puffing out his fur to make himself look as intimidating as possible. The black and white cat glared up at Dwayne with a look that clearly told him to "get lost". Dwayne stopped for a moment to look at the cat and tried to side step it, only to find his way blocked by an ever-growing barrier of angry felines, all of who were growling and hissing. One even tried to scratch him, but his leather boot took the blunt of the blow.

"Fay!" Dwayne said as he frowned and simply went up and over the cats, landing between Fay and the front door. Fat Cat looked around in surprise, not knowing where the vampire had went. Hey, even cats can forget about a vampire's ability to fly now and again.

Fay stopped and reluctantly met Dwayne's eye as she crossed her arms over her chest, tightening the collar of her bathrobe as she did so. "Move Dwayne." She said quietly, only telling him once.

"No." Dwayne said, grounding himself to the spot. If she wanted to get in, she'd have to move him herself. That was before Figaro decided to show Dwayne just what he thought of the guy. Leaping from the porch railing, the gray tabby pounced on Dwayne, landing on his shoulders as he swatted his unprotected face with his paw. Clinging to his leather jacket with three sets of claws, Figaro went for Dwayne's eyes, causing the vampire all sorts of grief. Dwayne instantly raised his hands to protect his face and as Figaro kept him distracted, Fay moved in and casually tripped him with the same foot maneuver that she had used on Paul a few nights back. As Dwayne went down, landing flat out on his back, Figaro spring boarded off of his shoulders and landed in Fay's waiting arms, purring contently.

"At least there's someone man enough to stick up for me." She said as she hugged Figaro to her chest. Without a backward glance, Fay entered her house and slammed the door in the vampire's face.

Dwayne swiped his hair out of his face as he lay there for a moment, going over what just happened in his head.

"Fuck." He swore under his breath as he rose to his feet. His face was a complete mess, but the wounds would heal by tomorrow night. He looked at the closed door and shook his head. Even if he broke the door down, he knew that she would just ignore him. Women. God, sometimes there were as prickly as friggin' cacti. Dwayne glanced down at the lawn, only to find it deserted once more. Once again, Fay's multiple cats had pulled their law-defying vanishing act.

Fay leaned against the front door, listening quietly as Dwayne roared away into the night. She couldn't fight off the tickle in the back of her throat and sniffled loudly. A soft merwow caught her attention and she smiled softly as Figaro rubbed his rough nose against her cheek, as if to say "do not worry."

"What am I doing?" She asked him as she slowly sunk down to the ground, sitting cross-legged by the door. Figaro looked at her with his big bright eyes and purred, curling his tail around her wrist. She hugged him close and buried her face into his fur as a few involuntary tears trickled out of the corner of her eyes. In the next instant, Fat Cat was suddenly trying to climb into her lap as the rest of her cats came up to her, rubbing against her and meowing softly.

"At least I have my babies." She said as the cats mewed in unison and climbed all over her, trying their best to cheer her up. Despite their best efforts, a part of her felt like crawling under a rock and staying there. The one question that crossed her mind was this, "what now?"

* * *

The next night, just as the sun set over the horizon, Dwayne and Paul hit the streets. They made their way to Fay's house in record time, nearly running over an old man as they broke about twenty traffic laws. Dwayne would have preferred to fly, but Paul was still on shaky grounds when it came to flying and Dwayne needed him to help persuade Fay from doing anything regrettable, i.e. attempting to murder David…or one of them. Whoever wrote that quote, "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," clearly knew what they were talking about.

"I don't know about this man." Paul said as they neared Fay's house. Seeing her like that last night wasn't a pleasant experience and the gash that she gave him hadn't healed yet. David said that it would take up to a week before it healed completely, and when it did, he'd have a scar as a token of Fay's affection. Such were the effects of using anything that was blessed by a priest.

"Will you shut up?" Dwayne muttered as they pulled into Fay's driveway and killed the engines. Dwayne gazed up at the house with a far-away look on his face, as if concentrating on something he couldn't see.

"She home?" Paul asked, looking from Dwayne to the house and then back again. When Dwayne shook his head, Paul sighed. David wasn't going to like this.

"C'mon." Dwayne said as he dismounted and walked up to the front door with Paul hurrying after him. He tried the front door and found it locked.

"Go around back." He told Paul as he motioned him to move. Paul slipped around the back-way as Dwayne peered into the restored front window. The curtains were drawn tight and he couldn't get a clear view of the interior of the house.

"Can I help you?" Said a sharp voice. Dwayne looked over his shoulder at the elderly gentleman who was standing on the cracked cement porch of the house next door. Great, the neighbours.

"It's ok. The woman who lives here is a friend of mine." He said and got a scalding look from the man. The old man snorted and went into his house, locking the door behind him.

"Where are you Fay?" He muttered to himself as someone opened the front door of Fay's house. Paul had found an open window at the back of the house and had let himself in. Dwayne looked at Paul, who just shook his head. Frowning, Dwayne stepped into the house and closed the door behind him. He could now see why Paul was quiet. The house was empty. There wasn't even a tea cozy to be found. It seemed that Fay had packed everything up, all twenty cats included, and had moved out while the boys were dead to the world.

"Now what?" Paul asked as he trailed behind Dwayne, who went from room to room, checking to see if Fay had left anything behind. In one of the bedrooms, hers he rightfully guessed, Dwayne spied a small, broken figure lying abandoned in the corner. When he picked it up, he realized that it was a small statue of an Egyptian cat, a symbol of the cat goddess Bast, the goddess of love and joy. He pocketed the pieces and turned to Paul who drifted into the room after inspecting the bathroom.

"Let's go." Dwayne said and without another word, the two exited the house, but not before they closed the place up. Maybe someday, Fay would return. Dwayne doubted it, but they locked the place up anyways. Giving the house one last glance, Dwayne and Paul rode away, heading towards the Boardwalk where they would meet up with David and Marko and set out to hunt, like they would do from every night here on in. And that was the beginning of the Lost Boys.


	8. Chapter 7

**Greetings all!**

**First off, thank you to all those who have reviewed. I'm glad you guys are enjoying this story.**

**emily & meli: Yes, Star is going to be coming into the picture soon. Just give me a few more chapters and she'll be here. Also if you guys like Paul grins you'll love chapter 9. **

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It does contain a bit of "fluff" but nothing graphic. I don't do graphic. Also, I might switch the rating of this story to M, depending on what happens in future chapters. But, let's wait and see shall we? **

**Oh and I have a question to ask, more of a favour really. I'm stuck on how to introduce Laddie into this story. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to e-mail me!**

**Happy Reading!****

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**Nine Months Later **

_Well my friend, that was the beginning of it all. From there the Boys claimed Santa Carla as their own, hunting the streets, terrorizing the villagers, bathing in blood…ok I'm exaggerating, but you get the picture. They didn't have a care in the world and loved every minute of it. Honestly, could you blame them? Wouldn't you do the same if you were in the same position? Anyways, they spent the next nine months "sleeping all day and partying all night," as the saying goes. As for myself? I got the part in the _Cats Musical_ and I spent three months in rehearsal and six months performing in Los Angeles. God, by the end of it I swore that I would never wear another white cat suit nor rub my ass against a tire for the rest of my life. How I wish I could do either of those things right now, but now is not the time for that story. _

_So, after the six-month run was over, I packed up my bags and my cats and moved back to Santa Carla. L.A. just wasn't my cup of tea and well…as much as they pissed me off, I missed those idiots. But I would never give them the satisfaction of knowing it. I may be a space cadet, but I do have my pride. Anyways, after I got settled in and back into the groove of sleeping, eating, working and sleeping some more, I got a surprise visit one night at the dance studio._

"Hey Fay, do you want me to close up, or are you going to do it?" Alice asked as she pranced out of the office in full dance get-up, leg warmers included. It was nine o'clock and the last ballet class had just finished for the day. Between herself, Fay and another dance teacher named Mimi, they managed to teach 35 dance classes throughout the week. It was tough, but it kept you in shape.

"Fay, you listening to me girl?" Alice asked as she poked her head into the first floor studio, only to find it empty. "Now where did she go?" She muttered before a hand suddenly slammed down on her shoulder. Alice shrieked and whirled around to find Fay cackling behind her.

"Shit bitch! Don't do that! You scared the hell out of me!" Alice snapped as Fay snorted back a giggle.

"Hey, it's not my fault that you jump at anything and everything." Fay said as she crouched down and began to re-tie the laces of her point shoes.

"You would too if you had been here for the past decade." Alice snorted as she closed the studio door. "When you left people started to go missing. Not too many at first, but by October even the police were afraid to go out at night. It's not safe here anymore. People are saying that a satanic cult is responsible for all the disappearances. You know, like what happened in Ohio in the 70's." Alice said, chewing on a fingernail.

"Yeah, I'm sure that there are a bunch of guys roaming around out there dressed in robes and chanting _evil satanic chants_. Really Alice, use your head once in awhile." Fay snorted as she rose back up.

"Then how else would you explain the disappearances?" Alice challenged her, planted her hands on her hips.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe a spaceship flies by once and a while and abducts people. You know, like what happened in Roswell." Fay imitated Alice with a roll of her eyes. C'mon, satanic cults? Please. Paul would get a real kick out of that.

"Fine. Don't believe me. But I've warned you. It's not safe to walk the streets alone any more." Alice said as she turned and went back into the front office to grab her things.

"Has it ever been?" Fay asked as Alice threw on her jacket and shouldered her purse.

"Don't forget to shut off all the lights when you leave. And don't stay here too late. I don't like it when you walk home by yourself." Alice said as she tossed Fay the keys to the studio.

"Yes mother." Fay said as she waved Alice out the door and locked it behind her. She waited until she saw Alice drive away before dashing up the stairs to the second floor. She opened the door and stepped into the large bare room that was her classroom. Man, it felt good to be home. Humming to herself she went over to the corner where she had set up her cassette player and popped in a Bon Jovi tape. Giving her legs a final stretch, Fay moved onto the center of the reinforced dance floor and waited until the music began.

"Shot through the heart, and you're to blame, darling…" 

"You give love a bad name." She sang before she kicked off and went into another level of existence as the walls fell away, leaving only the dancer and the dance behind. Despite the point shoes, Fay flipped, twirled, leapt and twisted in mid-air, each time coming to land on her toes before she went into the rest of the routine. The audition judges back in Los Angeles had been surprised to see her dance, a mix of ballet, street dancing, hip-hop and gymnastics all done on point. For the average dancer, Fay's style would have meant busted ankles and pulled hamstrings, but when you have the reflexes of a cat, anything is possible.

Two minutes and thirty seconds into the song, Fay was completely unaware of anything around her, which was why she leapt ten feet into the air and came down hissing when a hand brushed her arm.

"Whoa! Easy there babe!" A familiar voice said as Fay whirled around, fingers hooked into claws. Paul instantly backed up, just incase she leapt at him, but the expected claw attack never came.

"Jesus Paul! I just lost two lives because of you." She breathed as she put a hand on her chest, trying to calm down. Paul's face split into a sly grin as he walked towards her, arms spread wide.

"What? No hug?" He asked innocently, but Fay just rolled her eyes.

"So you can feel me up? I don't think so." She said as she crossed her arms over her chest as Paul's eyes traveled up and down. Oh, how he loved those tight dance outfits.

"Who me? I would never do that to you Fay." Paul said as his eyes lingered just above the leg warmers. Fay just raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, fine, maybe I would. But hey, you know you love me." He said and knew that she wouldn't deny it.

"Paul, you're a sex-crazed dog, do you know that?" Fay asked him as she walked over to the cassette player and turned it off. A dog bark was his reply.

"Oh god." She snorted as she unplugged the player and wrapped the chord around it. "So, dare I ask why you are here? Or would it be better if I didn't know?" She was just about to pick up the player when she felt Paul's presence behind her, a little too close for comfort.

"I'll give you three guesses." He murmured in her ear as his arms snaked around her waist, trapping her to him. Talk about invading personal space.

"Um…Paul?" Fay said with a non-amused look that he didn't see, due to the fact that her back was turned to him.

"Yeah?" He answered huskily as he began to nuzzle her neck, one hand creeping up across her stomach.

"Dwayne's right behind you." She said. Paul let her go in an instant and turned around, looking like a kid who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, only to be greeted with an empty room.

"Oops, my bad." She said with a small shrug as Paul shot her a dirty look.

"Funny." He muttered as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. There was an awkward silence as Fay put the cassette player away. She busied herself unlacing her point shoes, taking as much time as possible to do so.

"What do you see in him anyways?" He asked. Fay glanced up at Paul, regarding him as he slumped against the wall staring moodily up at the ceiling.

"The same thing I see in you." She said, catching Paul's undivided attention. "A guy who is in need of a serious ass-kicking."

"Christ Fay, don't tell me you're still mad about what happened." Paul groaned as he leaned his head against the wall. The Boys had known that she had come back to Santa Carla, but no one had gone to check up on her since she had arrived. David knew better than to go himself, seeing that it would probably end up in some dominance spat between the two of them and Marko didn't know how to face her. Dwayne had been moody during the last few months and no one knew where he was half the time. So that only left Paul to lead the welcome wagon, but if Paul went Dwayne would probably beat the stuffing out of him. The guy had a jealous streak a mile long. So, you can see how tender the entire situation is.

"What do you think Paul? Honestly. Do you think that I would just forget about it?" Fay said, her voice leveled and calm as she sat on the floor, tucking her legs under her as she did so.

"No, but…" Paul said before Fay raised an eyebrow.

"But what Paul?" She asked, tapping her nails on the floor, keeping the tempo of a tune that was in her head.

"Ok, listen Fay." Paul said as he pushed off from the wall. Fay watched him as he sunk down to the floor and sat beside her. "I know you're pissed about what happened. Just hear me out before you rile my ass will you? Ok, you're pissed and you have a right to be. But it's been nine months Fay and we haven't complained once. Hell, if anything, Marko is better for it. We're able to do things that would blow your mind Fay. We both know that David can be a prick at times, but he does it for a reason. He didn't choose us just to piss you off Fay you got to believe me. If it weren't for him, Marko and I would have probably ended up dead in some ditch along the 23. Yeah, a few months ago our old problem came back to haunt us. Luckily, guns can't kill us, but getting shot fucking hurts like hell." Paul explained, unconsciously pressing his arm to his side as he remembered the run in with Don and his posse. Even though Paul and the others were vampires, it still turned out to be brutal blood bath. Getting your side blasted open by a shotgun was no laughing matter and it had taken a good month until the four of them were back in top condition.

Fay regarded him with an expressionless look as he explained what had happened afterward. It seemed that the Boys had seen a lot of action while she was away. Rouge vampires, serial killers and a few stake happy armature hunters had come and gone in the span of nine months. At least things never got boring around here.

"And plus, Santa Carla hasn't been the same without its Crazy Cat Lady." He said, coaxing a smile out of her as he gave her his best pity-kitty look.

"Yeah, this cat lady has been the proverbial bitch when she's got no one to boss around." Fay said with a half smile to mirror Paul's grin.

"So, are we forgiven?" He asked her, inching closer to her. Fay didn't say anything for a while as she looked past Paul, staring out into space.

"Yeah, I'd say so. It's hard trying to stay mad at your four. You guys are like fleas, annoying as hell but great to watch. Especially when you're on those little trapezes and see-saws." She explained miming a mini flea circus with her hands.

"So you sayin' you like bugs?" He asked as he pounced, wrapping his arms around her in a bear hug.

"Gah, no. I'd sooner swat a bug then kiss one." She said as she struggled to pry Paul's arms off of her. Sometimes the guy didn't even know his own strength. "Ok Paul. Need air here." She gasped.

"Sorry babe." He apologized sheepishly as he loosened his hold. "Then it's a good thing I'm not a bug."

"No, you're just a horny teddy bear with bad breath." She mused as she poked him in the side with a finger. Paul gave a mock growl as Fay laughed and wiggled out of her grasp. "Ok Cujo. You stay here and try to behave yourself for five minutes while I get changed."

"Why? You look so good in tight clothes." Paul said, enjoying the view from where he was sitting.

"The day I go out in public wearing legwarmers is the day I start liking dogs. It ain't happening." She snorted as she pirouetted neatly. "Be right back and don't touch anything." She said as she vanished through the doorway. Paul eyed the studio for a few minutes and soon got bored. True to her word, after five minutes she was ready and caught Paul snooping around the studio office. After Fay locked the place up, the two of them headed towards the boardwalk, arms linked around each other and chatting up a storm as if the past nine month had never happened.

"I gotta ask you a question." Paul said as they rounded a corner and came in view of the brilliant lights and tinny music of the carousel.

"Ok, shoot." Fay said as she adjusted the strap of her purse so that it rested across her chest and not just over one shoulder.

"What is up with you and those knives? I mean, are you a street fighter or something?" Paul asked as he inconspicuously plucked a branch of cotton candy off of the display stand that they passed without anyone noticing and handed it to Fay.

"No, not a street fighter. I'm a knife fighter. Participate in competitions all over the country and stuff like that. There aren't many women in it, but hey, I figured that I was going to need to learn how to protect myself so I took up knife fighting. I suck at hand-to-hand combat but give me a blade and I'll give you what for." Fay said as she nibbled at the candyfloss. Paul reached over and tore off a hunk of the stuff. Fay choked back a laugh as he practically inhaled the stuff.

"Not many girls would know the blade of a knife from its handle. I must admit it isn't something you hear every day. But it explains a lot." He said as he stretched and rested his arm over Fay's shoulders. When Fay didn't shrug him off, he continued. "So, you dance, you knife fight, you have like a million cats and you are a voodoo practitioner. That's quite the resume."

"You bet it is. I've worked my ass off to get this far and I'm damn proud of it. Leave the simple-mindedness of the norm to the airheads and the poor fools of society. I'll take the path less traveled thank you very much." She said as she wrapped her arms around herself. Even though they were on the Pacific coast, the air coming off the water was chilly during the late fall months. Paul didn't seem to notice as he stole a bit more floss off of the paper cone that Fay was holding.

"There's something on the wind Paul. I can smell it." Fay murmured quietly as they kept to the railing, away from the surging crowd.

"What do you mean?" He asked as he crumpled the cone and tossed it over his shoulder.

"I don't know. It's been bothering me for a while now. It's…something is going to happen soon. Don't know what, which is weird in itself but…oh I don't know." She muttered, scratching her elbow and wishing that she had brought a jacket along. Sometimes she just forgot the necessities of life i.e. warmth.

"You don't know? You're supposed to be the Oracle of Santa Carla, how can you not know? What, did your crystal ball break or something?" Paul joked, misinterpreting Fay's concerned frown for mere annoyance.

"Whatever." Fay sighed, holding back whatever it was she was going to say. Paul gave her a curious look. He wasn't good at this whole "fortune telling" thing. Half of him hardly believed it, but after getting a taste of what Fay was capable of, he figured it was best to take her word for it. David would know what she was talking about. He had the head for this sort of thing. They walked in silence, each one lost in their own thoughts as the ignorant peasantry of the nightlife flowed past them, like water swirling around a rock in a stream. It was the sudden unexpected appearance of Dwayne that brought them out of their revelries.

"Mind if I join the conversation?" He asked as he suddenly appeared on the opposite side of Fay. Fay blinked in surprise, having been caught unawares while Paul just rolled his eyes. So much for some alone time.

"Hey Dwayne." Fay said with a small smile as the vampire draped his leather jacket over his shoulders, nearly engulfing her completely in the large jacket.

"Ah, so she smiles. I'm guessing knucklehead here has managed to convince you that we aren't Satan spawn after all?" He asked, looking at Fay and then at Paul. Paul gave him a surly look and muttered something under his breath. The two of them may have to live together in a pack, but they still tended to butt heads now and again. After all, boys will be boys.

"Yes, sadly I have allowed myself to be duped by Dionysus' charms." Fay said in mock exasperation as she looked up to the sky.

"Who's Dionysus?" Paul asked curiously.

"A Greek man-whore god. A blonde one at that." Fay replied. Paul stood a little straighter and gave Dwayne a smug look. Hey, who's the one who was compared to a god? That's right, right here.

"Oh brother." She said with a shake of her head as she caught Dwayne's warning glare out of the corner of her eye. "Will you two ever learn to play nice?"

"Not in this lifetime." Dwayne said with a toothy grin.

"Why am I not surprised?" She muttered.

"Paul, David wants you back at the cave." Dwayne said as the three of them stepped off the boardwalk and onto the beach.

"Why?" Paul asked, unable to keep the hint of annoyance out of his voice.

"Because he needs to speak with you. If I were you, I'd move my ass before he kicks it." Dwayne shot back, his tone startling Fay slightly. Ok, someone was a bit temperamental.

"Fine." Paul growled, knowing full well that when he left he wouldn't be able to find the two afterward. Typical Dwayne. "I'll see ya later Fay. And make sure this shmuck doesn't do anything stupid." Paul said, giving Fay a wink before he left them and headed for the shadows.

"I thought he'd never leave." Dwayne said, his arm taking the position that Paul's had vacated.

"Dwayne, I am surprised at you. Abusing your position in such an amateur way. Really, you should be ashamed." Fay said in false haughty tones as she snuggled closer to Dwayne, something he did not mind in the least bit. "He's going to be pissed."

"Good for him. He knows where he stands." Dwayne snorted.

"What am I going to do with you guys? I'm back and nothing's changed. I really should go talk to David." She said, switching the topic of conversation.

"Why? It wouldn't be the smartest of things to stick you and David in the same room together. You two just might kill each other." Dwayne said, knowing full well that the time apart hadn't changed Fay's opinion of the vampire leader and vice versa.

"Well, I've been thinking and I think it's time to bury the hatchet." Fay said as they walked along the tide line, away from the bonfires and the blaring music.

"Yeah, in his back knowing you." Dwayne said giving her a knowing look.

"Ok, maybe not to the point that we're buddy buddy here, but if he knows what's good for all of you, he'll swallow his pride and come to some sort of neutral understanding." Fay said truthfully. Both her and Dwayne looked at each other for a moment before shaking their heads. "You're right. It won't happen."

"This is David we're talking about. It's his way or the highway, but without the highway option." Dwayne said with an amused grin.

"Well, it's worth a shot. But if he still insists on being a prat I might just have to turn him into a frog." Fay said matter-of-factly.

"You can do that?" Dwayne asked, curious.

"God Dwayne, do you believe everything you read? No, I cannot turn people into frogs. Witches are so overly stereotyped these days." Fay said with an annoyed growl.

"Just like us vampires. Everyone thinks that we're demonic man-eaters who want to destroy the world. Ok, we kill people but we aren't out for world domination. God, who wants to do that? The world is fucked up enough, no need to go making it worse." Dwayne said, looking out over the water. The half moon was shining brightly as it peaked out behind a dark cloud.

"Wow Dwayne I'm impressed. You can think outside of the box." Fay chuckled as she wrapped his jacket tightly around her. God it was cold.

"I hope you're shivering from the cold and not from me." Dwayne said as he wrapped a bare arm around her shoulders. The night air didn't affect him in the least bit because when you are undead, you're always cold.

"Ha, don't give yourself too much credit." She snorted as she burrowed deeper into the jacket, her eyes just peeping out above the collar. Dwayne chuckled at the sight of Fay, unable to help himself. For all the world she looked like a pissed-off turtle hiding in its shell.

"Don't laugh. It's cold." Fay growled as she gave him a scathing look.

"I'm sorry." He grinned, even though it was obvious that he wasn't. "Why don't we leave the surf and turf and go back to your place? I don't know about you, but I'm not diggin' this whole stroll by moonlight thing." He said, looking down at her as she peered up at him.

"You've read my mind." Fay murmured as she slipped her arms through the sleeves of his jacket, adjusting it so that she was as covered as possible. "Where'd you park that hellish machine of yours?" She asked, looking over her shoulder towards the boardwalk.

"I was thinking we'd take a different route." He said as he wrapped both arms around her, securing her to his side.

"What? Wait…oh no. No Dwayne, we are not flying. I'm afraid of flying! Dwayne!" She yowled as she tried to claw herself away from him. Dwayne just laughed and before Fay could screech out something colourful, they were airborne and left the beach behind. Fay just clung on for dear life and kept her eyes squeezed shut throughout the entire flight, while Dwayne reveled in riding the air currents. If there was one thing that got Fay queasy, it was flying. She despised airplanes and the idea of being miles above the ground didn't sit well with the land born feral woman. When they touched down on her porch, Fay was ready to blast him one that he would never forget. But she never got the chance to give him a piece of her mind because Dwayne was a split second faster. Before either of them knew it, they were lip-locked up against the door in full view of the entire neighbourhood. But did they care? Hell no. Fay ran one hand through his hair while she tried to twist the door handle with the other, but the damn thing was locked.

"Shit." She growled, momentarily parting her lips from Dwayne's as she tried to dig out her keys from her purse.

"Let me." Dwayne murmured as he grabbed the door handle and wrenched it to the side, breaking the lock and smacked the door open with the palm of his hand. He grinned as he looked down at Fay who growled seductively and pounced, both of them falling straight into the front entrance, knocking aside a potted vase that fell onto the floor with a crash. One of them kicked the door shut and before they got halfway to the bedroom, clothing was scattered all over the house.

"You animal." Dwayne grinned as Fay pushed him into the bedroom.

"God you have no idea." She said as she followed him in and slammed the door shut behind her. And the door stayed shut for the rest of the night and throughout the next day. And during all this time, not a single one of Fay's cats was to be seen inside the house. Talk about a bunch of smart felines.


	9. Chapter 8

**Heyo Lost Boy Lovers!**

**Before I say anything else, I have to tell you all a very important message. A message from Kiefer Sutherland himself! Yes, that's right, I'm talking about the one and only Kiefer! Thegreat and glorious Kiefer that I was lucky enough to meet! Kiefer how I love thee, let me count the ways! (Smothers Lost Boys poster)**

**Ok. I should have posted this when it first happened, but I got sidetracked and so now I'm putting it on this chapter. I met Kiefer on the day that he was being inducted into the Canadian Walk of Fame. After pulling off the scream of the century (and I am an "I scream for Kiefer" person), I managed to catch his attention as he was heading towards the camera crews. He stopped his entourage of man-eating bodyguards and walked over to say hi. He signed my Lost Boys soundtrack (while I was being mauled by all of the 24 fans) and when he noticed what he was signing he shook his head and smiled. And here's the conversation…**

**Kiefer: You too?**

**Me: Gah! YES! David is my muse! You totally rocked as him! You are amazing. (Childish…I know but hey, I was trying my best not to jump the barricade)**

**Kiefer: (laughs) You're very welcome and thank you.**

**Me: Please sir, can I ask you a question?**

**Kiefer: Sure.**

**Me: I'm a drama teacher. Are there any words of advice that I can pass on to my students? **

**Kiefer: Tell them that they should further their education and once they have their degree, they can do whatever it is that they dream of doing. That way, if things don't fall through with acting, they always have something to fall back on. **

**Me: Thank you sir!**

**Kiefer: (smiles) No problem. (Shakes my hand and walks away) **

**And those are Kiefer's very words. I was on cloud nine for a week. Good times. Anyways, I thought that you'd all like that little tid-bit of info. Here's Chapter9 and when I wrote it, I thought of you Lucy! I hope you like Paul in this chapter. (winks) Gah, this has to be my favorite chapter in this story. **

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* * *

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_What a night. Let's just say that we brought mattress dancing to a whole new level. You know what they say, girls like guys with skills. And let me tell you, Dwayne was _**very** _skilled. Oh yeah…yeah…_

The sun had set an hour ago when Dwayne finally arrived back to the cave. His long hair was a tousled mane, making him look like a rumpled lion more than ever. Also, the fact that he was a few days behind on feeing didn't help his appearance either. He winced slightly as he ducked an overhanging wooden beam, taking care not to brush up against the rock walls as he made his way into the main cavern. The minute he stepped into view, wolf calls rang throughout the cave. It took him a great deal of self-control to keep a straight face as he walked down the ramp. God, what a bunch of kids.

Paul and Marko had been wrestling one another before Dwayne's entrance caught their attention. David was lounging on the couch, leafing through the latest playboy magazine. When the catcalls and whistles went up, he just peered over the magazine to give Dwayne a small nod before he went back to eyeing the busty redhead in the too small bikini.

"Well look what the cat dragged in." David said as he flipped the magazine over, admiring the model from a different angle. Paul burst out laughing as Marko jumped on his back, forcing him to his knees.

"Hey Dwayne, how's it going? We missed you last night." Marko said as Paul flipped him over his shoulder and pinned him to the ground with his knees.

"Yeah man. We were starting to think that you got staked or something." Paul said as he fought to keep Marko under him. "We were going to send out a search party…but then we figured that we had better things to do with our time." He grinned before Marko got him in the gut and kicked him off.

"Yeah, it looks it." Dwayne said with a shake of his head. Those two…knuckle heads the both of them.

"So Dwayne old buddy, old pal. What'd ya do last night?" Paul asked innocently as he picked himself up off the ground and dusted himself off. Both his and Marko's eyes were trained on Dwayne, following his every movement as if at any moment he would throw them a big, juicy steak. Dwayne looked at them and then looked away as if he hadn't heard them.

"Yeah Dwayne. Where did you go, who did you screw?" Marko asked before Paul smacked him upside the head. "Ow!" Marko muttered, rubbing the back of his head as Paul gave him a "shut up" look. They waited for Dwayne to say something…anything, but all Dwayne did was give them a small smile before seating himself on the edge of the fountain. Paul and Marko were at his side in a blink of an eye.

"C'mon man, don't be a prick." Paul grumbled, knowing that it wasn't the sanest thing to prod Dwayne, but hell curiosity killed the cat.

"Tell us something, anything!" Marko whined, all ears for any news. David glanced their way and kept an ear cocked as he flipped the page. He wanted to hear this just as much as the rest of them.

"Alright! Jeez, calm down you two. You're acting like a bunch of kids." Dwayne said in mock annoyance as he glared up at the two of them. He knew that he had them by their noses and they wouldn't leave him alone until he said something.

"Yes!" Paul crowed. "So, what happened? Give us the minute-by-minute play-by-play. And slowly, I want to visualize this." He said as he sat beside Dwayne, never taking his eyes off of him. Dwayne looked over at him and blinked.

"Paul…you're sick." He said, finding it hard to believe that Paul was a savage killer and not just a horny teenager.

"Yeah we know. So get to the good stuff." Marko interjected as he sat himself down on the floor by Dwayne's feet. Dwayne looked at the both of them and gave a theatrical sigh.

"Well…,"Dwayne said, drawing out the moment as long as the two of them could take it. "I've never seen anyone do some of the things she could do." He began.

"Yeah man, alright!" Paul whooped as he slapped Dwayne across the back. Dwayne stiffened and hissed out in pain when Paul did this, which caused the others to look at him in alarm. "Shit man, you ok?" Paul asked, not knowing what he did wrong.

"Yeah…I'm ok." Dwayne said as the pain subsided. "It's nothing." He muttered as he tossed his hair over his shoulder.

"Nothing my ass." Paul said and before Dwayne could stop him, he lifted up the back of his jacket. "Holy shit!" He said out loud as he stared at Dwayne's back in surprise. From the looks of it, it looked like Dwayne had been mauled by a possessed rake. His entire back was crisscrossed with deep scratch marks, some of them partially healed but others too deep to have begun mending. Marko and David eyed Dwayne's back in shock and surprise as well, wondering what in the world could have done that.

"Hell man, what did you do? Get attacked by a mountain lion?" Marko asked, looking up at Dwayne.

"Just about." Dwayne answered as he wrenched his jacket out of Paul's hands and carefully adjusted it, making sure that the scratches were covered. Paul gave Dwayne a confused look before it hit him.

"Jesus H Christ, she used you as a frickin' scratching post!" He exclaimed, finally figuring it out. Crazy Cat lady + claws claw marks. David and Marko winced at the thought, but Paul in all of his strangeness found it an extreme turn on. Dwayne nodded his head, not denying it.

"Hey man, it was worth it. Trust me." He said as a grin appeared on his lips. At this point Marko was practically ready to worship the ground that Dwayne walked on while Paul wanted to pry the answers from Dwayne's lips. David, the king of self-control who was by no means dead from the neck down, lapsed into a thoughtful silence as he imagined what must have gone on last night.

"So…what happened!" Paul said, his imagination running every which way like an out-of-control go-kart. Before Dwayne could answer, another voice spoke up.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

At the sound of her voice, all four heads snapped to the side as eight eyes locked onto the figure that was standing nonchalant by the mouth of the cave. When the boys saw her, they did one of four things. David's eyebrows rose up to his hairline as he tossed aside the playboy magazine. Dwayne's face split into a grin that would have put a Cheshire cat to shame and whistled. Marko's eyes went as wide as dinner plates as his jaw hit the ground and bounced. And Paul…Paul cried.

"This is _so_ not fair." He whined as he wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye, unable to take his eyes off of Fay or the outfit that she was wearing. When he had first met her, he thought that she was the sexiest thing on two legs in that tight one-piece leather cat suit. But what she had on now made that suit look like a nun's habit.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment." Fay said as she toyed with a strand of hair. She could practically feel the testosterone level rise in the cave.

"Heh…." Marko managed as he ogled at her. At that moment Fay was every little boy's fantasy and the four of them were going to enjoy the moment for as long as possible. Hey it wasn't every day that a girl wore something out of a Heavy Metal fantasy poster. David grabbed his jacket that he had been using as a pillow and draped it over his lap, unnoticed by everyone expect Fay. She sent him a coy wink and a knowing smirk before she walked down the ramp, looking like an exotic runway model in 12-inch stiletto heels. Paul looked over at Dwayne in awe.

"Dwayne, what the hell did you do last night?" He asked, looking from his fellow vampire and then over to the scantly clad leather and studded biker vixen that was Fay. His eyes started at her feet and then up her bare calves that were crisscrossed by the leather straps of her shoes, wondering how in hell she could manage to stand upright in those things. His gaze halted at her bare thighs, toned from years of a brutal dance schedule and then he nearly drooled over the tiny leather shorts she was wearing. Not even Patty Duke could have fit into those things. From there he had to force his eyes upwards and if it hadn't been for Dwayne sitting right beside him, he probably would have lunged at her. The mini leather tank top was laced up at the front as tight as humanly possible, making the boys wish that it were a mandatory part of the Hooter's uniform. The leather rhinestone kitty-collar, wrist guards and biker jacket completed the sultry getup.

"You look like Jessica Rabbit. But real." Marko said as he eyed her hair, which was done up in the classic Mrs. Rabbit look, covering half of her face. "David loves Jessica Rabbit."

"What can I say? She's a red-head." David said as he awkwardly cleared his throat, avoiding Dwayne's skeptical look.

"Enjoy the view boys 'cause this is the first and the last time you are ever going to see me like this." She said as she sauntered in a circle. Paul let out a high-pitched whine as Dwayne automatically held out his arm, stopping Paul from bounding off the fountain.

"Stay man….stay." Dwayne growled as he roughly forced Paul back into a sitting position. They all knew how much of a sex-maniac Paul was but not even Dwayne could hold it against him this time. Paul just couldn't help himself and what Fay was doing was fantastic, but cruel. It was the classical scene. A dog chained in the yard and sees a cat walk by. The cat knows that the dog can't attack him so what does he do? Why, he calmly sits about a foot away from the barking and straining dog and grooms himself without a care in the world. Devilish and just plain wicked.

"I think someone needs to calm down. Dwayne?" David said, looking at the two before nodding towards the cave entrance. Dwayne scowled, but he rose and hauled Paul up by the back of his jacket. Clamping one arm around the straining vampire's neck, he dragged Paul out of the cave kicking and screaming.

'He is so going to hate me for this. Oh well, I'll make it up to him." She said as she walked over to the couch. Marko scrambled to his feet and trailed after her as David swung his legs off the couch and sat upright.

"And they say I'm the cruel one." David asked her as she perched on the arm of the couch and crossed her legs. Neither he nor Marko could stop themselves from staring.

"Oh give it up you two." Fay snorted, dropping the sex kitten act in an instant. "There is a reason as to why I am dressed as the Whore of Babylon." She snorted as she gabbed David's jacket and draped it over her legs, eliminating the distraction.

"There is?" Marko asked as he blinked, giving himself a mental shake. For those past few minutes his brained had seemed to stop functioning.

"Yes Marko, there is. We got company." She said looking from one to the other. David arched an eyebrow and ignored the questioning look that Marko gave him.

"What kind?" he asked.

"The unwanted kind." She replied as she began to pick the dust off of his jacket. "Just got the heads up. There's only one and he's supposedly near the Boardwalk. Figured that I could draw him out instead of you four having an all-out battle in the middle of the street." She told them as she inspected her fingernails.

"Then we should go say hello." David said, giving Marko a small nod of his head. "Go see if Dwayne managed to get Paul under control and then get the bikes." Marko nodded his head and gave Fay one last look before he reluctantly left the cave. Fay watched Marko go as she shook out David's coat and sneezed at the amount of dust that came off of the thing.

"God, don't you guys ever do laundry around here?" She asked him skeptically as she tossed his jacket back to him.

"Why bother?" David said. Instead of putting it on, he laid the coat over the side of the couch. David sat there for a moment, watching Fay with those unreadable blue eyes. Fay looked over at him and arched an eyebrow.

"What?" She said, locking gazes with the vampire leader. She knew what he was thinking and instead of looking away, she just smiled. But not your normal smile. It was one of those slow curl of the lips that would make the payday for any experienced hooker. "See something you like?" She asked him, tilting her head slightly so that the dim firelight played on the side of her neck, causing the rhinestones to sparkle.

"What are you up to Fay?" David asked her quietly, his eyes moving from her half-hidden face down to her neck. Despite all of his cool self-control and iron will, he couldn't keep himself from imagining himself sinking his fangs into that throat and feel Fay writhe against him. Pure ambrosia.

"I could ask you the same thing." She purred as her painted lips parted into a small grin. Mentally, she applauded herself. Not only had she gotten David's attention, she had also managed to worm her way through his defensives and had him aroused. Perfect. When it came to the battle of the wills, never ever expect a woman to play fair. Especially one that could trace her lineage back to the bastard child of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar. Hey, she may not have come in rolled up in a carpet, but the idea was there.

"I really don't think that you came down here dressed in that just to flush out some squatter." David said, leaning forward slightly so that the space between them diminished slightly. If she lied to him, he would be able to pick up on it. But just as David leaned forward, Fay slid off the arm of the couch and sat down next to him, their faces barely two inches apart.

"And what makes you think that?" She said softly, staring at him, eye to eye. Frozen blue met honeyed amber as the two of them pitted their minds against each other. Whatever it was that went on during those next few minutes, no one would ever know. Neither of them moved or blinked. It was like they were frozen in time while the world went on around them.

"Why did you come here." David growled, breaking the silence. Fay didn't flinch when David's hand locked onto her chin, forcing her to bear the full impact of his stare as he redoubled his efforts to pry the answers from her mind. When he did that however, the trap sprung, the waiting teeth of her conscious slamming down on his. His grip on her jaw never relented, even when she slowly pushed him onto his back, forcing him into a submissive position. Their eyes were still locked and their minds still entwined, only this time it was David who was mentally struggling for release. He should have seen it coming. A cat, no matter how docile it may appear, always has four sets of claws. And I pity the fool who does not take heed to that warning.

"David, this has to stop." Fay said, her voice never going above a whisper. One of her manicured hands gently wrapped around his wrist. "I'm not here to fight you. We're on the same side. If you let go, I can explain." She murmured, applying pressure to David's wrist but the vampire didn't let go. She kept herself propped up above him with her free hand and knees, but the strain of the mental tug-of-war was starting to put a strain on her physically.

"Why should I?" David growled softly, lying there flat on his back while Fay hovered an inch above him. This wasn't a test of strength or intelligence; it was a fight of sheer willpower. He tried to rid his mind of Fay's wicked claws, but they stayed firmly in place.

"Because you idiot, we're going to need each others help in order to survive." She said as her right arm shook, her fingers digging into the nerves of David's right hand as she finally managed to wrench herself free from his iron grip. "And we won't survive if we're always out to kill each other." She said as she simultaneously released David's mind and hand. "Understand?"

David blinked owlishly, the dim light of the cave suddenly bothering his eyes. The pull of Fay's mind made him feel like he had been stretched out on a rack, every miniscule part of him aching and sore. He looked up at her coolly before he nodded. "Truce." He muttered.

"Good." Fay said as she sat back on her heels, unintentionally straddle David, but neither of them seemed to notice. Their minds felt like they had been dragged through a meat grinder and the last thing they would think about was kinky sex positions. "Oh, almost forgot." Fay said before she backhanded David across the face.

"Fuck!" David swore as he glared up at her.

"That one was for Paul." She growled before she backhanded him again, this time on the opposite side of his face. "And that's for Marko."

"Yeah?" A voice piped up from the opposite end of the cave. David and Fay's heads snapped to the side as Marko appeared at the cavern entrance. Dwayne had sent him back in to see what was taking the two so long and he had walked in just as he heard his name being said. All three of them froze as they mentally tried to figure out what just happened. But seeing that David and Fay's minds were about as exhausted as a spent racehorse, they didn't get why Marko suddenly went bright red, which was a highly unusual colour for a vampire.

"I…ahh….ummm…take your time." Marko stammered as he swiftly turned and practically flew right out of the cave. Fay and David looked at each other, not quite getting it.

"Ah shit." Fay groaned as she closed her eyes and massaged her forehead with her hand, hitting a number ten on the embarrassment scale. David frowned as he looked down at himself and then muttered a curse under his breath. With Fay practically straddling him to the couch, there was only one thing that would have crossed Marko's mind when he saw the two of them. The thought of him and Fay together like that made David cringe.

"Great. I'm going to have to walk around with a paper bag over my head for the rest of my life." She said, her voice a tad bit higher than normal as she quickly got off of David, as if the very thought of touching the vampire made her skin crawl. Which it did, but that's beside the point.

"War does make strange bedfellows." David sneered as he threw on his coat.

"Oh shut up you." Fay snapped as she adjusted her jacket. "Let's hope he has enough sense to keep him mouth shut. God, why me?" She muttered to herself as she headed for the entrance. "I won't say anything, if you won't." She said to David as she carefully picked her way up the ramp of packed rubble.

"Don't worry. I have a reputation to keep. Plus," he said, looking at her with a bemused expression on his face. "You're not my type."

"Why don't you do the world a favour and go screw yourself." She said, giving him a smile that wasn't in the least bit friendly. When the two finally made it out of the cave, they saw that Dwayne and the others were waiting for them at the top of the stairs.

"What took you two so long?" Dwayne asked, as he looked the two of them over, checking to see if they were still in one piece. Paul was sitting on his bike, soaking wet and sulking while Marko was staring intently at the toes of his boots. He looked up quickly and then looked away, not wanting to meet David's eyes. He hadn't breathed a word about what he saw because Paul and Dwayne would loose it and David and Fay would probably kill him. So, doing the smart thing, he just said nothing for the betterment of the group.

"What happened to Paul?" Fay asked, ignoring Dwayne's question. Paul was soaked from head to toe and with the wind coming in off the water; he was bound to be freezing, despite being dead.

"Had to cool him down, so I threw him in the ocean." Dwayne said, hardly suppressing the smug look on his face. Paul glared death at him as he wrung out his hair, ignoring everyone.

"Ah jeez, sorry Paul." She said, giving Paul an apologetic smile. Paul just snorted and looked away. Great, he was going to be like this for the rest of the night.

"Well, seeing that it's Paul's birthday in a couple of weeks, the boys and I have decided to surprise him with a little something." David said out loud to no one unparticular as he slipped on his leather biker gloves. Both Fay and Paul looked at David with interest. "What do you say to a night out with the ladies Paul?"

"Do I even have to answer that?" Paul said as his trademark wolfish grin appeared on his face. "What kind?" He asked.

"The best hooker in Santa Carla that money can buy." David said as he straight at Fay, the knowing smirk never leaving his lips. Fay's eyes flashed as she fought to restrain herself from scratching his eyes out right then and there.

"Can I get that in writing?" Paul asked as Dwayne just shook his head.

"Don't worry Paul." David said as he threw a leg over his bike and kicked it to life. Marko and Dwayne followed suit and after a moment of cursing profusely under her breath, Fay let Dwayne help her get on behind him.

"But first, we got some business to take care of." David said before he revved the engine and peeled off into the night, followed closely by Marko and then Paul, who was singing something profane at the top of his lungs. Dwayne looked over his shoulder and didn't have to ask why Fay looked like she was ready to tearing something to shreds.

"_I'm_ _going to kill him_." Fay hissed as she wrapped her arms around Dwayne's waist. Dwayne chuckled as he took off after the other three, bringing up the rear.

"I told you it was a bad idea." He said over the roar of his bike as he quickly caught up to Paul.

"Dwayne!" Fay called out as she hugged him tighter as the bike picked up speed.

"Yeah?" He asked over his shoulder, never taking his eyes off of Paul, who was weaving back and forth in front of him just to piss him off.

"Shut up."

And with that, the five of them headed towards the Santa Carla nightlife to personally exeunt the trespassing vampire. Only problem was, none of them had any idea as to whom it was they were about to come face to face with. If they had, things might have turned out differently.


	10. Chapter 9

_Ok, before I continue with the telling of this story, I just want to say one thing. Vampires are not gods. They can get hurt and can be killed. There is a hierarchy in the vampire "society", with newly turned vampires at the bottommost rung, and powerful ancients at the top. Well in this day and age most of the ancients are no longer prowling the planet, thank the gods. But that doesn't mean that there aren't any heavyweights still out there. You'd have to be an idiot not to realize that. Now on a scale from one to ten, the Boys would average out on a number three. Paul and Marko were still in their "baby teeth" stage, while Dwayne was a bit higher up, being older and all. David could be considered a four for many reasons, but mainly for his cruel intelligence that was his greatest weapon. He wasn't the oldest vampire around, but he knew how to manipulate the people around him to get what he wanted and he was about as ruthless as one could get. Clearly someone that you didn't want to piss off. But despite all this, David wasn't perfect. Hell no one is. Let's face it. I'm not, you're not and neither were David and the others. They each had their own flaws and weaknesses, just like the rest of us pathetic humans. One of David's was his authority. He wasn't an egomaniac like some would like to think; he just never could stand it when he had his authority challenged. Hence the loving relationship between himself and I. Now this character flaw is going to cause all sorts of grief in what you're about to read, just like my bad habit of sticking my nose where it doesn't belong. You would think that two mature, intelligent people like David and myself would put our differences aside and actually work together for a change, especially when we knew we were way over our heads. Well, that just goes to show you how stupid we really are._

It took under ten minutes for the boys to reach the boardwalk and during that short time span both David and Fay were working out a plan…separately mind you. By the time the five of them reached the main strip, Fay had cooled off enough so that she no longer had the desire to throw David into the nearest bonfire, which was a good thing. It was interesting to how the boys reacted to the upcoming run-in. They were still as loud as always, but Fay couldn't help but shiver slightly at the feral gleam in their eyes. Tonight, there would be some serious bloodshed and they all knew it. David wouldn't have it any other way.

"Where did you say this guy was?" David called out to Fay as they maneuvered their way through the vast crowd of people. It was fall and yet the boardwalk was as busy as always. Everyone wanted in on the final few weeks of decent weather before winter set in. Even though they were on the west coast, it still got a bit on the chilly side come November.

"All I know is that he is supposed to be on the Boardwalk. Other than that, I'm about as clueless as you are." Fay said as she eyed the crowd carefully, watching for any irregularities in the mass of night lovers.

"Tryin' to find this dude is gonna be interesting." Paul muttered to Marko as they came up along side David and killed their engines. "So what's the plan fearless leader?" He asked David as they all turned and looked at him expectantly, except for Fay who was busy searching from someone in the crowd. David glowered at Fay for a fraction of a second before he looked over at Paul. Fearless Leader? Oh brother…

"Well since this was Fay's idea, I suggest we do what she says and try to avoid an all-out street fight if we can help it. Like we hadn't thought that one up a good six months ago." David said casually as he calmly got off his bike, adjusting the collar of his jacket as he did so. Fay wrenched her eyes from the crowd and zeroed in on David. If looks could kill, David would have been reduced to a pile of ash in a nanosecond.

"Look, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have had a clue that there was another vampire trespass…" Fay started before David simply turned his back to her and looked off into the crowd. Fay stared at him, flabbergasted, while Paul and Marko exchanged a quick glance and got off their bikes, making sure to dismount on the other side as to not be in range if and when Fay went spastic. Dwayne couldn't help but cringe when he felt Fay's nails dig into his rather tender back.

"Ah, the back, the back," Dwayne muttered under his breath as he grabbed her hands and pried them off of his still healing backside.

"Sorry Dwayne." Fay growled as she slammed her foot down on the cracked pavement and swung her leg over, getting off the bike in a flash. After all of her hard effort and throwing her reputation into the dirt, it seemed that her slight victory over David and the agreed truce counted for diddlysquat. Before Fay could build up enough steam to thoroughly scorch David and the surrounding innocent bystanders, the boys included, Marko came to the rescue.

"Umm Fay? Is that one of yours?" He asked timidly, or as timidly as a fully-fledged, blood-sucking vampire could possibly sound. He pointed to what looked like a walking piece of road kill that was quickly slinking its way towards the five of them. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that the scruffy, half-chewed, one-eyed alley cat was indeed a living mammal and was on good terms with the currently temperamental witch.

"Tomfoolery!" Fay exclaimed as the scrawny feline picked up its pace and bounded towards her. Instead of stopping at her feet, the cat gracefully leapt up onto the seat of David's bike with a gruff meow, looking up at them all with his one good eye. His bent tail flicked crookedly to the side as he carefully turned, positioning himself so that he could watch both Fay and David at the same time. David sneered in annoyance at having one of Fay's pets park its ragged rear end on his bike. God, could this woman get any more annoying?

"You got to be kidding me." David snorted as he plucked the rolled joint from behind his ear and lit it with the lighter that Paul handed to him. Fay, wisely choosing to ignore David, muttered something in some foreign tongue to Tom, who seemed to nod in response. Once again Paul and Marko exchanged a look, but Marko just shook his head.

"Don't ask." He muttered quietly to Paul and took the joint that David handed to him, taking a puff before handing it over to Paul.

"This is why I've always been a dog person." Dwayne said as he swiped the joint from Paul just as the vampire was about to inhale.

"Hey!" Paul snarled and tried to grab it back, but Dwayne just chuckled and moved out of his reach, rolling the joint between his fingers. Giving Paul the finger, he clamped the flimsy paper between his teeth and breathed in. The tomcat, which had been sniffing the wind during all of this, turned his one good eye onto Dwayne and eyed him with a hungry, demented look. Fay looked over her shoulder to see what Tom was staring at and saw the joint. It was amazing how she could have kept a straight face.

"Dwayne, you know that joint's filled with catnip right?" Fay asked him, taking a step to the side so that she could block Dwayne from the cat's line of vision.

"What?" Dwayne started, looking at her a tad bit confused. David and Marko were also looking at Fay, one with a look of pure murder and the other with a surprised expression. Paul, on the other hand, had to stifle his laugh as to save himself from getting punched in the face by a very pissed-off head vampire.

"Yeah. That's catnip you're burning." Fay said, who seemed completely innocent and unaware of the sudden hostile atmosphere on the outside, but on the inside: Cat Lady (3), David (don't really care).

"Can you tell me why that joint is filled with cat dope?" David asked, keeping himself perfectly and utterly calm when all he wanted to do was wrap his hands around Fay's throat strangle the living daylights out of her before throwing her off a cliff. Let's see if a cat can land on its feet on the jagged rocks of the Santa Carla surf from 40 feet in the air.

"Oh because I thought that it would piss you off." She told him frankly before turning her attention back to the alley cat. Dwayne looked down at the joint and horked a wad of spit onto the ground, his actions mirrored by Marko.

"Well congratulations, you've finally succeeded." David growled darkly, his blue eyes growing cold and hard while his face remained expressionless. When Paul noticed the change in the vampire leader, he instantly quit chuckling to himself and averted his eyes. Ok, now Fay was pushing it. You should never play with fire if you don't want to get burned.

"Alright. It seems that our friend has been roaming up and down the boardwalk for the past hour. Tom says that he's supposed to be near the midway, can't miss him." Fay said as she took the joint from Dwayne and let the cat fondle it, his reward for having stalked the rouge vampire for the last two hours.

"Thank you Tom." David said as he reached over and knocked the cat off of the back of his bike before turning to the others. "Paul, Marko, close in from the food court and keep yourselves out of sight." David said to the two as they nodded and slipped away, getting swallowed up in the crowd as David turned to Dwayne. "Dwayne, take the opposite way through the shop lane and follow him. Don't confront him until I give the say so. We're going to try to drive him off the Boardwalk before we give him a Santa Carla welcome." David said, adjusting his gloves as he kept his eyes on the crowd, the wheels of his mind turning.

"Pincer movement, I'm on it." Dwayne said with a snap of his fingers as he turned to go. "C'mon Fay." He said as he started to walk away.

"No, Fay's coming with me." David said instantly, catching Fay's startled look out of the corner of his eye. Dwayne was about to say something, but looking at David, he knew better than to question him. If David wanted Fay with him, he was going to have Fay with him and Dwayne wasn't fool enough to call him on it. He didn't like it, but David wouldn't pull anything in the middle of a packed boardwalk when they had an unwanted vampire trespassing on their territory. He was too careful and cautious. But then again this was David and God only knew what went on in his mind. After a moment, Dwayne nodded his head and catching Fay's pleading glance, he turned and walked off towards the corridor of clothing and knick-knack shops, just as David had instructed.

Tomfoolery kept himself by Fay's side as she stood there, arms crossed over her chest, trying to keep her growing uneasiness from showing. Ok, maybe switching the joint with one full of catnip was a bit much, but the guy had it coming. It was only catnip for Christ's sake!

"The next time you try pulling one of you little stunts, you better hope that you have one of your nine lives to spare." David said quiet as he grabbed Fay by the arm and kicked Tomfoolery out of the way as the cat tried to come between the two of them.

"You touch that cat one more time and you better pray that you have more than two balls David cause if you don't, you'll be singing a G sharp for all of eternity." Fay hissed under her breath as she tried to wrench her arm out of his grasp, but to no avail. The vampire had a grip of iron and Fay wasn't about to get into a tug-of-war with the guy while she was tottering around on spiked stilettos. Tomfoolery growled and was about to attack David but Fay ushered him off with a swift command before the cat could sink his claws into David's thigh. She would rather put herself in danger then endanger one of her own cats. Tomfoolery looked up at her, but when she repeated the command, he raised his tail and slunk off into the shadows.

"That I'd like to see." David said, his voice never going above a whisper. He didn't have to raise his voice for Fay to figure out just how furious he was; it was all in his tone. And for once, Fay didn't have a decent comeback. Without saying another word, David dragged Fay into the crowd, keeping her arm locked in his grasp. Fay winced slightly when the pressure he was placing on her elbow became unbearable, but David didn't slow his pace nor loosen his grasp.

"You know what? I really despise you." Fay growled softly as they shoved through a group of fourteen year olds that were standing in their way. The look that David shot them nearly sent them running as Fay twisted her arm and yanked downward, breaking his hold.

"Oh really? Well at least there's something that we both can agree on." David muttered back, giving Fay a cold side glance as he kept his eyes on the crowd, constantly searching for the other vampire.

"Will you cut the crap already? Enough of this male dominance bullshit. I honestly pity the poor woman that brought you into this world. If it were me, I would have smothered you at birth." Fay said, still keeping her voice low. David just looked at her and didn't even bother responding.

"Do you honestly believe yourself to be the end all be all in this world? Well, here's a newsflash for you David. You're not so get over it. I swear it's only going to be a matter of time before a stronger vampire comes here and knocks you down a peg or two. And then what? Hmm? And then what David?" She asked him, a small frown appearing on her face as she resisted from being pulled along by David. David's teeth were clenched to the point that she could here them grinding above the music of the boardwalk as he tried to block out the sound of her voice and concentrate on locating the damn vampire. Failing to do so, he spun to face her so fast that she stumbled back a few steps, grabbing onto a half-empty garbage bin to keep herself from falling over.

"Will you honestly shut the fuck up already? Are you finished yet? So help me if you say one more world I'll fucking rip…" David swore at her as he raised his hand as if to smack her right then and there. Fay didn't flinch as her eyes followed the movement of his hand but when a voice interrupted David's outburst, they shifted to the person who had suddenly appeared behind him.

"Um, pardon me," Said a voice that caused David to slowly lower his arm and turn to see who the hell had just saved Fay from getting knocked into next Tuesday. "I'm sorry, but would either one of you happen to have the time?" The man asked, looking down at David and Fay with a curious expression on his face. David wasn't a small guy, but the man seemed to tower over him. He was what, six foot three, six foot four?

"What?" David said, coming to face the man. He didn't have to see Dwayne standing off to the side by the vending machines to know that the guy standing in front of him was none other than their rouge vampire. But David couldn't quite believe it. Large glasses, obviously non-prescription, a beige suite and blue high-collared shirt, the man looked more like some Californian businessman than a vampire. A Californian businessman with a large white dog.

"The time. I apologize for the intrusion. Are you all right?" He asked Fay who had paled to the point that her skin was the same shade as David's. Fay just stood there, staring at him with huge eyes, like a deer caught in headlights and didn't respond. Instead, she looked down at the dog that was staring at her intently and shrank back a bit when it growled at her.

"Who are you?" David said, keeping it to a quite command as to not draw attention to the three of them. He kept his eyes on the other vampire's face, never blinking as he made it perfectly clear that whoever he was, he wasn't welcome. And David managed to do that with a simple stare. Talk about talent.

"I'm sorry, my name is Max. And you are?" Max asked, holding out his hand to David who completely ignored it. "Thorn, stop it." He said firmly, yanking the leash that was in his other hand, forcing Thorn to sit. "I'm sorry. Thorn gets a bit edgy when he's surrounded by strangers." He said, giving Fay a small smile, one that she didn't return. Her eyes were glued onto the white Shepard that hadn't taken its eyes off of her and it took every ounce of self-control to keep herself from hissing out loud. Max's smile faltered a bit when the lack of response was drawn out. David was still staring him down while Paul and Marko appeared in the crowd, watching Max from their spot by the ring-toss booth. The tension in the air seemed to mount tenfold with each passing minute, with neither party saying anything.

"Been here long?" Dwayne suddenly said as he strolled casually towards Fay, his hands in the pockets of his jacket. If his sudden appearance surprised Max, he didn't show it.

"No, I actually just arrived here a few hours ago." Max said pleasantly as he looked over at Dwayne who came to a stop beside Fay. He glared down at the dog before looking Max over slowly.

"Really? Well isn't that interesting." Paul said as he and Marko came stalking up from behind Max, both of them going around him and coming to stand beside David. Thorn growled once more, but this time Max didn't reprimand him.

"Welcome to Santa Carla." Marko said as he rested his elbow nonchalant on Fay's shoulder, giving Max a toothy grin. Max nodded his head in thanks, the sudden gathering of ranks not fazing him in the least bit.

"So, is it just you five then?" Max asked, looking at all of them with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Surprised?" David asked, his voice cold and unnerving. The presence of all four vampires was overpowering to say the least, especially when they were ready and waiting for the opportune moment to tear this guy limb from limb. But Max seemed to be immune to the dangerous tension that was in the air.

"Actually I am. From the talk that has been going around, I had actually thought that there would be more of you. Oh well, better for me then wouldn't you say?" Max said with a hearty chuckle, laughing at his own joke. From an outsider's perspective, Max would appear to be a considerate, thoughtful, well-to-do middle-aged man who was just out walking his dog. No one would have ever guessed that he was just as dangerous and as ruthless as all four of the boys put together. Oh how appearances can be deceiving.

Paul tensed slightly and was about to say something when David moved his hand ever so slightly. Paul took that as a signal to shut up and say nothing and that is what he did. But Max had been watching and couldn't help but smile sadly.

"Ah you kids these days. You never cease to amaze me. The immortality of youth, what a priceless thing to have." Max said, regarding them in a fatherly manner. They thought themselves untouchable, kings of the world but he knew better. Two of them were merely children that still had free rein over themselves, not even a year old. The brooding one was more mature but probably had not even seen another vampire over the seventy-year mark. And their leader? He was different. He held himself with the presence of a natural leader, which was easy to see. But inwardly, Max smiled to himself. They were just kids. It was a gang of kids that had caused all the whispering and the rumours that had been going around about the rise in activity on the east coast. Max had come fully expecting a serious and more challenging opponent, but instead he had found a pack of undisciplined youths. Well, it seemed that he had his work cut out for him. Their leader would be a tough nut to crack, but if he resisted Max would have no choice but to do away with him. And the other three? Well, once the head was cut off, they would be easily cowed. It wouldn't be the first time that he had taken over an existing pack of vampires and made it his own. And if the others refused to give in, well, Max was just going to have to start afresh in Santa Carla. It would take time, but at least he wouldn't have the headache of trying to control a bunch of mutinous underlings. And the girl? Obviously the pack pet. Even the youngest of vampires sought out companionship so it was no surprise to see her hanging around the four boys.

"Indeed." David said, not moving an inch as he sized up their unwanted visitor. It was obvious that this Max was more than he appeared to be, but David had faith in his skills and the power of numbers was on his side. Taking this guy down would be a challenge, but he and the boys have faced worse before. Or so he thought. If he hadn't been so wound up and agitated, the result of arguing with Fay, he would have realized that the dog by the vampire's side that he had ignored was no ordinary dog. But even the best of us tend to make mistakes now and again. Like I said before, no one is perfect.

"Well Max, why don't we go somewhere a little more private so we can continue our discussion about the wonders of youth without being disturbed?" David asked casually as four pairs of gleaming eyes glared at him with such intensity that Max couldn't ignore it any longer. Max regarded them from behind his bifocals before nodding slowly.

"Yes, I'd like that. How about we go for walk along the beach and you boys can tell me all there is to know about Santa Carla. Sound good to you?" Max asked them all as his dog rose to its feet. Paul and Marko smirked at the same time while Fay shifted nervously behind David, her eyes going from the dog, to Max and then to Dwayne.

"Of course." David said, slightly amused. They all knew what a "walk along the beach" meant.

"Good. Shall we?" Max asked as he stepped to the side, moving out of the way to allow a couple to pass him.

"After you." David said with a slight inclination of his head.

"Why thank you." Max said, giving David a small, knowing smile as he turned and headed for the beach. Thorn padded quietly by his side, his ears pressed back in warning as Paul, Marko and Dwayne stalked behind him, sharing hidden looks and knowing smiles. David snorted and started after them just as Fay reached out and grabbed the back of his jacket, stopping him.

"David are you crazy? Do you know who that is? You can't do this! You're going to get yourselves killed! Are you nuts! Call it off! You can't fight him like this." Fay jabbered quickly before David could say anything. There was no love between the two of them, but Fay couldn't believe what the four of them were about to do. Didn't they have any idea of who they had just challenged so openly? They must not because if they did, they would be thinking twice. Fay wasn't one to loose her cool, but even a blind man could have told you that she was scared. Scared silly if you ask me. She didn't even stop to breath as she rambled on, pleading…actually pleading with David to reconsider. David, however, just sneered and yanked his jacket out of her hand.

"Go home Fay." He growled, ignoring her protests as he turned and walked off, leaving her standing alone in the crowd.

"David don't! You don't know what you're doing! David…you….gah! DAVID!" She shrieked loud enough to draw stares from the people walking around, but David didn't even look back. Within minutes, he was swallowed up by the black shadows as he stepped out of the light of the boardwalk.

"They're dead. They are so dead." She said to herself as she continued to peer into the shadows, hoping that in any moment the boys would come back and that this was all just a sick, sick joke. "Oh God…what do I do?" She whispered as she angrily grabbed her hair and pulled it away from her face. The man who had so calmly agreed to go with the boys was none other than the nineteenth century Austrian Baron known as Maxim Ilion Von Ruben, a name that was known in many of the vampires, werewolves, witch and warlock circles. Fay, who knew a thing or two about vampire history, knew that this Max was considered to be one of the worst home wreckers still in existence. Home wrecker as in slaughtering entire households to feed his twisted fantasy about having the perfect family. He was notorious for butchering parents in front of their children and then turning the children in order to raise them as his own. After a while, his "children" would either end up killing themselves or end up being killed by him, and when they were all gone, Von Ruben would vanish and appear in a distant country and start the process all over again. And now he had chosen Santa Carla as his new place of residence and whatever it was that he was planning, Fay knew that it was going to be bad. Very, very bad.

Fay almost didn't recognize him from the paintings that she had seen of him. Maybe it was the way he was dressed or maybe it was the whole "friendly next-door neighbour bachelor act", but if it hadn't been for his dog, Fay wouldn't have recognized his face until it was too late. That dog, if that was what you wanted to call it, was a vicious, man-eating hellhound that guarded its vampire master with its very life. For the past century, Maxim always had a white dog by his side. Maybe this Thorn was Maxim's original hellhound, Caligula, or maybe it was a new one, Fay couldn't tell. Judging by the boys' reactions, they didn't know that Max had a hellhound on the end of the leash, but Fay did. Being half cat herself, a hellhound was a natural threat and enemy and if this guy had a hellhound as a second shadow, she didn't want to have anything to do with him. Yet the boys had probably just stepped into a trap so Fay knew that avoiding all contact with the baron was not going to happen. But now what? The boys clearly had no idea as to just how dangerous Max really was and she didn't have the power to take on the vampire herself. Butting heads with David was one thing, but toeing the line with a vampire that could easily dismember her in a heartbeat, magic or no magic, was something completely different. It was sheer suicide.

"Damn you David, you pig-headed, mule-eared idiot." She swore when she made up her mind. They had no chance at beating this guy outright, but maybe if Fay could surprise him, they would be able to drive him off long enough for them to come up with some sort of plan. It was chancy but what choice did she have?

Fay hurried across the boardwalk, swearing with every step she took. The stilettos were making it difficult to move at a pace faster than a walk and when she reached the sand, it was hopeless. The metal heels just sunk right into the soft sand and she was forced to drag her feet in order to stay upright.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" She snarled as she clawed at the tight leather straps that were tied around her legs. As she unlaced the shoes, she let out a high-pitched whistle, once, twice, but didn't wait to see who would come. She slipped the shoes off, holding one in each hand and took off at a run, praying to whatever god that was out there that she wasn't too late.


	11. Chapter 10

**Hey everyone!**

I would just like to thank you all for the wonderful reviews. They are what keep me typing away at this story. Also, I have realized that this story is going to be a lot longer than I first thought. I won't be surprised if by the end of it, it turns out to be an epic. (groans) But, here's some good news. I've been picking away at some other chapters and I've finally figured out how this thing ends. And for all of your who are waiting patiently for Star to show up, she'll be appearing in chapter 14 and on. And I have figured out how Laddie fits into all of this...finally.

Well, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I shall hopefully have the next one up before we all turn old and grey. I really must start making these chapters shorter. Instead of a fan fiction, I'll end up writing a novel!

Happy Reading.

* * *

The tide was coming in as the five vampires walked along the sandy shore, ignoring the loud music that was being blasted from a number of different bonfires that were scattered along the beach. Not a word was spoken as they headed out of the sight and sound of the late-night partygoers that were getting drunk and high, blissfully unaware of the death that stalked past them, nor the dark clouds that were rolling in overhead. Thunder rumbled out over the ocean, but no one seemed to notice this, not even the vampires. As the inevitable event of bloodshed approached, they became more alerted and edgy. Only David and Max kept a visage of outward calm and poise, but internally, both vampires were chomping on the bit. 

Thorn growled when Marko got too close and a quick flash off teeth sent the vampire leaping back. Max smiled to himself as the five of them made their way through a cluster of boulders, entering a shallow cove that was usually submersed in water at high tide. Max suspected that this was the usual sticking place for the small vampire gang. Out of the way, undetected, it was easy to hide a body here and let the ocean take care of the rest. Well, at least they weren't sloppy. Max could give them that much credit.

"Now let's not be hasty boys. It's all fun and games until someone looses an eye you know." Max told them, standing there with his back to the ocean as he calmly watched the four vampires close in on him.

"And who the fuck do you think you are? Mr. Rodgers?" Paul sneered as

Max's frown deepened as he gave Paul a reproachful look.

"I do not appreciate the tone Paul. Didn't you mother ever teach you any manners?" Max asked as he took a step back when Paul let out an angry snarl and charged him. The blow that Max delivered swept Paul right off his feet and sent him flying backwards, landing on the sand with a yelp, much to the surprise of everyone. Max stood there, massaging his knuckles as Paul groaned and spat out a tooth that had become dislodged from the force of the blow. Paul thought that Dwayne could hit hard but man, this was just unreal.

"A lesson that you boys are going to have to learn is to always respect your elders." Max said stiffly as he turned to the others who were still prowling around him, but this time making sure to keep their distance. Feral yellow eyes gleamed wickedly in the darkness as the boys circled the lone vampire, looking for the perfect time to strike as one. Thorn stood stiffly at Max's side, the fur along his back standing on end as he snarled savagely in warning, his deep barks being drowned out by the approaching thunder. For all the world it looked like something out of a Jack London novel, a circle of wolves waiting for the weaker opponent to go down before they moved in to finish it off. Only now, it would be the waiting wolves that would be doing the attacking. A bolt of lightning arched across the sky above them, illuminating the five for a split second before the terrible clash of thunder crashed overhead. On that note, David and the others attacked, teeth flashing and eyes glinting as the heavens opened up and unleashed a downpour of heavy rain, drenching the field of battle in moments. Marko dived low, colliding into Max's legs as Dwayne leapt upwards, clamping his clawed hands onto the larger man's shoulder and between the two of them, the managed to bring Max to his knees. The boulder enclosed alcove erupted in savage snarls, barks, howls, and thunder as the vampires battled it out for territory and domination.

Paul and David were forced back under the savage onslaught of Max's hellhound. Thorn went at them like a creature possessed, jaws snapping wildly as he aimed to crush bone with every bite. No matter how fast they were, the two couldn't seem to get past possessed dog for it seemed to be everywhere at once. With an ear-splitting howl, Thorn ran at Paul and threw himself upon the vampire, bringing him down as he snapped at his face. Paul managed to bring his arm up in time before Thorn could rip his face off and roared out in pain as the dog's teeth sunk into his lower arm and shook him viciously. The strength that the dog possessed stunned Paul as he wrestled with the brute, trying to kick him off without having his arm ripped out of its socket.

While the dog was mauling Paul, Dwayne and Marko were having one heck of a time trying to keep Max down. Every time they got the upper hand, Max just seemed to brush them off as if they were nothing before they redoubled their attack. David ran towards Paul as Thorn managed to get a grip on the guy's shoulder when something grabbed him from behind and picked him up off the ground and slammed him down. David managed to avoid getting his head crushed by sheer luck as he rolled to the side just as Max brought his foot down. In an instant, David was on his feet, snarling like a demon as Max beckoned him forward with a coy smile. Marko, who had been dashed up against a wave worn boulder, lay in a crumpled heap on the sand knocked out cold. Dwayne, who had no idea how he ended up a good twenty feet from the battleground, was doubled over in pain as he tried to rise to his feet. Max had snapped his left leg like a chicken bone before he pitched Dwayne away from him. The massive claw marks that laid open his side were a testimony to Max's power, but that didn't stop the boys from fighting on.

"Help Paul!" David yelled out to Dwayne as he and Max circled each other, sizing one another up as they darted left and right, each one avoiding the other's jabs. Dwayne dragged himself towards where Paul and Thorn were and despite his busted leg, he threw himself onto of the dog and grabbed it in a headlock, trying to force it off of Paul.

"You know we don't have to do this." Max said, his fangs gleaming as he smiled at David, easily sidestepping his opponent's swinging left hook. David automatically recovered himself and leapt backwards as Max slashed at him with his nails, aiming to maim him.

"Are you always this sure of yourself?" David growled as ducked and weaved under Max's guard, striking a blow to the side with a well-aimed punch. Yet he wasn't fast enough to avoid getting whacked in the back of the head by a downward slash that sent him staggering forward. After that, all words were forgotten as David turned and locked jaws with Max, both of them ripping into each other for all they were worth. The two vampires snapped, tore, kicked and tussled up and down the alcove, the blood from their various wounds running onto the sand as it was washed off of them by the rain. Max was thoroughly surprised at the strength and sheer viciousness that David possessed, but despite his wounds, he managed to kick David's feet from under him and bring him down. But the fighting didn't stop there. Like a pair of crazed wolves, the two of them fought on, sending wet sand flying every which way as they struggled for the dominant position. One minute David was on top and then the next it was Max, neither one ever managing to hold the position for more than a few moments. Max's claws tore at David's face as David sunk his fangs into the older vampire's wrist, biting into the main vein. Blood went everywhere as Max snarled in pain and backhanded David with enough force to stun a carthorse. Blinded by Max's blood, David couldn't avoid the torrent of blows that Max rained down on him as he fought to keep himself from blacking out. In a last ditch effort, David brought his knees up to his chest and mule kicked his attacker off of him, gaining a few precious seconds.

By this time both vampires were moving slowly, Max bleeding heavily from his wounded wrist while David's face was covered in blood, his own and Max's. The thunder overhead rumbled and groaned at a deafening pitch as the two vampires hauled themselves to their feet, bloodied, battered and bruised, but not yet broken.

"Had enough?" David spat as he blinked rainwater out of his eyes, not daring to look over his shoulder to see what had become of the others. Max stood bent over, his wounded wrist clutched to his chest, as he looked over at David and snarled. David snarled back and seeing that this was his chance, took it without thinking twice. He struck out at Max like greased lightning, aiming to tear Max's throat open with his nails, thus ending the battle. Yet as he did this, he knew that he had made a mistake. This was what Max had waiting for all along and before David could stop himself, Max rose up to his full height and brought the palm of his right hand up, catching David right under the chin. The blow snapped David's head back as Max bulldozed into him, forcing him down onto the sand. Pinning his arms down with his knees, Max wrapped his hands around David's throat and throttled the life out of him. David bucked and struggled, but Max was too heavy and the grip on his throat tightened to the point that he could feel bones of his neck grind together before Max snapped his neck with a flick of his wrists. At once David stopped struggling and lay beneath Max unmoving except for his eyes. A busted neck would instantly kill a human, but to a vampire, it did nothing more than paralyze him.

"You know, I had thought of letting you live, but then I realized that you would be too much of a problem and I really don't want to have to deal with that." Max growled as he hoisted David up slightly, pulling away the collar of his jacket to expose the immobilized vampire's throat. David's eyes widened, for he knew what was coming and couldn't do a damn thing to stop it. Where the hell were Paul, Dwayne and Marko? This couldn't be happening…but yet it was. And that's when he realized what Fay had been trying to tell him all night. His demand for authority had caused him to be careless and now he was going to get bled to death because of it. David closed his eyes as he felt Max's reeking breath on his throat and steeled himself for the savage bite. Without waste another minute, Max snarled and sunk his fangs into David's pale throat, but before he could swallow more than a mouthful, a heart-rending scream split the rain-filled air as something flew at the two vampires. A flash of steel caught Max's eye as he unlatched his fangs from David's throat. Before he could move out of the way, a twelve-inch stiletto blade was plunged between his shoulder blades, burying five inches deep.

"ARRGH!" Max howled as he lashed out with his left hand, releasing David as he tried to swat his attacker away. But the person was quicker and ducked under his outstretched arm to ram another thin blade of steel into his chest. Max looked down at the slender projectile for a split second before two sets of claws embedded themselves into his face and hauled him off of David as he blinked in utter shock, flailing both arms at once to drive off the hissing and spitting demon that slashed and swatted at him in rapid succession with its claws. Luckily he managed to knock the enraged thing off of him when he did because whatever it was that was attacking him was about to gouge his eyes out. Max rose to his feet, claws out to defend himself, fully expecting an attack from the other vampires.

But what he saw crouching protectively over David's body wasn't a vampire. Golden feline eyes glared death at him as Fay pulled back her lips and let out another harsh scream, sounding more animal than human. She hissed at Max, gnashing her sharpened teeth in warning while hunkering over the wounded vampire who, up until this point, been the bane of her existence. Before Max could begin to comprehend what he was seeing, Fay launched herself at him, claws first. And indeed those were curved claws that carved into his chest and not the perfectly manicured nails that she had been inspecting an hour ago. Max stumbled back as Fay snapped at his face, her teeth grazing his nose as she aimed to do as much bodily harm to him in those few precious seconds as she possibly could. Max snarled in anger as he yanked the spastic girl off of him and tossed her away, but still she kept on coming. Clawing and scratching, biting and gouging, Fay was all over him as her fury drove her on. If she had been thinking straight she would have summoned up what magical powers she had and sent Max packing, but after seeing what he had done to her boys, all she wanted to do was tear him to pieces.

Thorn, who was still fighting Dwayne, wrenched himself out of the vampire's strangle hold when he heard his master's howls of pain. Baying out a booming bark, he raced towards Fay with his teeth bared. Fay was too busy tearing at Max's back to notice the fury in fur pelting towards her because if she had, she would have taken off like a shot head vampire or no head vampire.

"REEEERRRRRWWWW!" Yowled a chorus of high-pitched voices as the rain sodden form of Tomfoolery landed on Thorn's back, showing no mercy as the fur flew left, right and center. Thorn yelped in pain and surprise as he slid to a stop just as four more cats pelted from the rocks like a tiny group of guerilla fighters to wreck havoc upon the white devil dog. Vampires may have their hellhounds, but woe be to the mutt that dared to cross paths with a fighting tom cat, hellions in their own right. Even though the four cats were smaller than the enraged canine, they fought tooth and claw, unleashing a savage justice onto the one that dared threaten the life of their "mum". For that moment they weren't cats anymore but tiny lions, giving everything they had to take down their most hated foe.

Dwayne crouched there in complete shock as he watched Fay's feline fiends do what he and Paul could not. After two minutes of vicious combat, Thorn turn tail and ran yelping off into the night with the cats chasing after him, yowling their savage cries in his wake. When he turned his eyes towards Max, he saw a different story. Despite Fay's earlier success, she was no match for the vampire and it was really beginning to show. It took every trick, back flip and dance move that Fay knew to keep herself from getting slashed open by Max's nails. But she kept at it gamely, hoping above hope that Max would relent and retreat, but if it hadn't been for Dwayne, she would have ended up along side David, broken neck and all. Dwayne summoned up whatever strength he had left and launched himself into the air, dipping wildly as he flew at Max, snarling out a wordless cry. Max, having been severely injured by David and laid upon by the crazed cat woman, took one look at the vampire flying towards him and knew then that he had to beat a hasty retreat. Pushing Fay off of him, he tensed before he took off in a gust of wind, vowing to finish what he had started.

"IF YOU EVER COME NEAR MY BOYS AGAIN I'LL EAT YOU ALIVE! I'LL RIP YOUR GUTS OUT AND HANG YOU FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE WITH THEM! DO YOU HEAR ME VON RUBEN? COME NEAR THEM AGAIN AND I SWEAR BY BAST THAT YOU'LL NEVER LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER SUNSET!" Fay yowled into the lightning-charged night as she ran along the wave beaten surf, shrieking curses and oaths at Max's retreating form. She slowed to a stop when she could no longer see Max amidst the stormy night sky, panting heavily as she tried to catch her breath. Only when she managed to bring herself to a state of rocky calmness did Fay make her way back to where David and the others lay torn and bleeding. Staggering like a drunk as a wave of fatigue washed over her, Fay sunk down by David's side as she peeled her rain-drenched hair away from her face. The yellow eyes, teeth and claws were gone, replaced by a worried expression as she gently lifted David's head and ran her fingertips along the back of his neck, trying to locate the break in his spinal chord. When she found what she was looking for, Fay braced the sides of his neck with her hands and swiftly cracked his neck back into place, getting the disk to realign properly. David, who had been conscious for the entire thing, blinked in a moment's pain before he looked up at Fay, his eyes clouding over with uncertainty and disbelief.

"Try not to move. I've patched up worse in my time." Fay said in a soothing voice as she pressed her hand against the deep wound in David's neck, trying to staunch the bleeding as much as possible. She tore her eyes from David's as she looked around the alcove, trying to see where the others were. Marko was still out cold, which was no surprise seeing that the back of his head had been bashed in when Max rammed him headfirst into the boulder. Paul was further off, curled up into a fetal position. His right arm had been torn open to the bone, the wound measuring a good twelve inches in length, and judging by the tear marks, it looked like Thorn had swallowed a few mouthfuls of Paul's flesh in the heat of battle. If Fay didn't get the wound stitched up soon and put blood back into Paul, he wasn't going to make it through the night. Dwayne was hardly any better off, but at least he was able to hobble around somewhat.

"What the fuck was that Fay?" Dwayne asked as he limped over to where she was sitting beside David.

"Not now Dwayne." She said as she shook her head wearily. Right now, she could hardly think straight and trying to answer questions was not an ability she currently possessed.

"Here, get off that leg of yours and keep your hand on David's neck. If he moves, smack him. I'm going to see what I can do for the others." Fay instructed as she grabbed Dwayne's hand and positioned it right over the oozing puncture marks when she removed hers from David's neck. When that was done, Fay forced herself to her feet and hurried over to where Marko lay. After quickly looking him over, she knew that he was in no immediate danger of dying on her. His skull was already starting to knit itself back together and when he would regain consciousness, he was going to have one bitch of a migraine. Muttering a word of thanks, Fay wrapped her arms around his chest and hauled him over to where Dwayne and David were before making her way over to Paul.

"Paul?" She cooed quietly as she carefully approached the downed vampire. All she got as a response was a muffled groan. Moving towards him as one might walk up to a injured animal, Fay carefully crept around him while keeping out of his reach. An injured vampire was as unpredictable as a half-starved grizzly and the last thing she needed was to end up with Paul's fangs buried in her neck.

"Oh Paul." She whimpered when she saw what the hellhound's teeth had done to him. Curled up into a fetal position, Paul was shaking uncontrollably, in shock and unresponsive to her touch. She crouched down beside him and tilted his head towards her, peering into his eyes. No response, not even a blink.

"Think Fay think." She muttered between her teeth as she chewed on her tongue. The first thing that she had to do was bind the wound. Yanking her jacket off, she did the best she could and wrapped it as tight as she could around Paul's mangled arm without causing him further pain. There were a few moments when she had to look away when the urge to vomit became too overwhelming.

"Dwayne!" Fay called out, shivering with cold and fear. There was not a soul in sight and going to get help was clearly not an option. With every drop of blood that oozed out of his wound, Paul was an inch closer to death and the time was ticking.

"Yeah?" Dwayne answered back, his voice barely heard above the wind and thunder. Gritting his teeth, Dwayne braced himself as he twisted and snapped the broken bones of his leg back into their proper places. Snarling every curse word he knew, he set his leg the best he could while vowing to repay Max tenfold for what he had done.

"DWAYNE!" Fay yelled, looking over her shoulder to see if the vampire was coming. Dwayne didn't even bother to respond as he lay on the sand, blinking back the stars of pain that had blossomed in front of his eyes. No one had the energy to move while the storm raged on, pelting them all mercilessly with stinging rain, adding salt to their already grievous wounds.

"Damn you Von Ruben. Damn you to the seventh circle of hell." Fay cried to herself as she cradled Paul in her arms, her tears indistinguishable from the rainwater that dribbled down her face. Now what was she going to do? Her blood would do more harm than good if she let Paul feed off her, and the other three were in no condition to be of any use. A clap of thunder rumbled overhead as she clung more tightly to Paul, praying for a miracle to occur. Either someone on high was listening or it was just plain old coincidence, but Fay's prayer was answered.

"_Merwow?"_ Meowed a gruff voice as Tomfoolery appeared beside her, followed closely by the four other alley cats that had answered her call for help back at the boardwalk. Fay looked down at the sodden, skinny forms of the cats and let out a small whimper of thanks. Old Tom narrowed his good eye and rubbed himself against her, peering up at her with a questioning look.

"_He is bad off?"_ Tom mewed. To everyone else, the meows would have been meaningless, but Fay understood him perfectly. It wasn't often that a cat "talked" because most of their communicating was done by body language and looks, but they could and would if the occasion arouse. Fay nodded as she gently brushed Paul's bangs away from his eyes, hoping for some sort of reaction.

"He needs blood." Fay said simply. The other four felines looked at one another and backed off quickly, earning a disapproving glare from the grizzled tomcat.

"_Use the young one."_ Was all that Tomfoolery said. Fay looked at him confused, not knowing what he meant by that. The cat turned and looked to where the other three lay before looking back at Fay. It was simple and the most obvious answer to this problem. Why Fay didn't think of it herself was a complete mystery, but hey, people make mistakes.

"Tom ,you genius." Fay said as she scooped the cat up and smothered his mangled head in a shower of kisses. Tom closed his eyes and purred contently before she put him back down onto the wet sand and gently tugged his tail in thanks. Carefully, she rose and doing her best not to jostle Paul too much, slowly dragged him over to where the others were. A faint groan came from Paul as Fay gently laid him beside Marko. Meanwhile, Tom was nudging Dwayne back into the present situation while Fay bent over the two and went straight to work. There was no way that Fay was going to be able to carry them all back to the cave and Dwayne was the only one that could be of some help.

"What are you doing?" Dwayne groaned when Tom finally managed to get his attention. He patted the cat on the head as he rose into a sitting position, holding back a gasp as he accidentally moved his leg.

"Saving Paul's life." Fay replied as she swiftly sliced Marko's wrist open with newly formed claws and brought his arm up to Paul's mouth. Trying to coax Paul to feed was difficult, but some part of his mind began to function again once the blood trickled down his throat and in a few seconds he was latched onto his unconscious friend like a starving leech.

"Smart…..cat." David whispered as he watched Fay pry Marko's wrist away from Paul before he had a chance to drain the youngest vampire dry.

"I don't want to hear a single word come out of your mouth David. You're damn lucky to still be alive." She said as she began to slowly take charge of the situation once more. Paul was still on shaky grounds, but he'd survive until she got him back to the cave and doused him with the bottle of blood that she knew David had hidden somewhere. Dwayne had mentioned it to her the night before and she had made a mental note to find it and bash it over David's skull the minute his back was turned. It was a good thing that she never had that chance.

"If you call…being paralyzed…alive." David muttered before he fell silent; contemplating what the future would hold if he was never able to move, much less walk again.

"I've re-set your neck. You'll be up and about by tomorrow. But I won't lie. I was half tempted to leave you that way for a while." Fay snorted, becoming her old self once more as the alarm factor slowly dropped. Paul was moving slightly, which was a good sign and Dwayne was trying to get to his feet to see if his newly set leg would hold him. A flash of alarm crossed David's face at the thought of it but he wisely remained silent.

"Right. Dwayne, do you think you're able to fly?" Fay asked Dwayne as she grabbed his elbow to help steady him.

"The cave's not far off. I could make it." Dwayne said, looking towards the outline of the cliff face, judging the distance from here to there.

"Good. Take Paul first and I'll see if I can get Marko to come round." Fay said as she helped to sling Paul over Dwayne's shoulder. As she adjusted Paul, she had her back turned to David and didn't see him slowly raise his arm off the ground. That was about as far as he got before Tomfoolery hissed at him and swatted him one with his paw.

"Try that once more David and I'll bust your neck myself and leave you here. This alcove has a great view of the sunrise." Fay said without turning around. Dwayne had already taken off and now she was gently shaking Marko, trying to get him to wake up.

"You didn't have to." David said quietly, remaining unmoving where he lay while Tom kept his eye on him.

"I know." Fay answered as she tapped Marko on the side of his face.

"He's going to come after you." David said as he watched Fay out of the corner of his eye.

"I know." She said once more. The two didn't say anything as Fay tried everything to bring Marko back to consciousness. It was impossible; he was going to be out for the rest of the night.

"Why?" David asked. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that Fay had actually jumped into the middle of a vampire duel to save him. Hell, what she did went against the laws that all witches followed and they both knew it. No good would come of this.

"Wouldn't you?" Fay asked softly, looking at him.

David didn't reply.


	12. Chapter 11

**Hello vampfans!**

**Well, now things are starting to get interesting. Thus we finally begin what we've all been waiting for...but you'll have to wait for chapter 13 to find out how the Boys ended up being under Max's authority. Goldenpeaches, summoning dark and ghostwriter, I'm glad you liked chapter 11. And yes, the cats do rule. Especially fat cat...in a special sort of way. I based some of Fay's feline friends on actually cats that I know. Fat Cat is actually my own over-fed housecat by the same name and Figaro comes froman old classy cat that one of my good friends own. **

I wish this chapter was longer, but I'll promise you this. The up-coming chapters will be, shall we say, to die for? (no pun intended)

Happy Reading

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_I spent the next two days playing Florence Nightingale and let me tell you, it was no easy thing to do. I swear I honestly do not know which is more frustrating, running a daycare center or nursing four male vampires back to health. If you had asked me then, I would have said that running after a bunch of toddlers would have been easier. Mind you, on some days I still think that, but anyways. Between constantly threatening to tie David to the bed and having Paul demand being waited on hand and foot, I was half tempted to leave them there to starve. But the good Samaritan in me wouldn't allow it and so I stayed, yet by the third day I had to leave for the sake of my sanity. Thank God that vampires heal quickly, so I left Marko to play nursemaid while I went home to feed the cats, take a long hot shower and get some decent shuteye. Now, by the forth day they should have been well enough to get back into the swing of things, but with all the moaning and groaning going on you would have thought that they were dying from the Bubonic Plague. Heaven forbid that they should do anything for themselves! C'mon, that would require too much effort and they were going to drag it out as long as possible. So a word from the wise my friend, never pamper a vampire because you'll regret it big time._

_On the fifth day after the fight, I had promised to go back to the cave to make sure that they weren't going to die from malnutrition. As I was busy preparing their supplementary meals, I got a surprise visit from someone…_

"Now where did I put the container of cow blood?" Fay muttered to herself as she bustled about the kitchen, moving various items out of her way as she hunted for the plastic container that contained the key ingredient to that evening's meal. Figaro sat stiffly on one of the kitchen chairs with his slender tail curled around his paws. He kept looking at Fay and then at the large cardboard box that was sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor. Nestled inside the box was a litter of four week old kittens that Fay had found abandoned in an alleyway when she had gone to the dance studio to explain to Alice and Mimi why she hadn't been to work for the past three days. The kittens looked more like rambunctious cotton balls with pawsand Fay had told Figaro to keep his eye on them, least they should wander off and end up god knows where.

"Ah ha! Found it." Fay said as she pulled the see-through Tupperware container out of the freezer and lifted the lid off. She had placed the container in the freezer to keep it chilled and had forgotten all about it. Ah well, if the boys didn't like smoothies then they could go out and hunt for their food. Figaro sighed and began to wash himself, ignoring the tiny mewls of protest that came from the kittens as they began to pounce on each other. Just because she had to look after a bunch of brat vampires didn't mean that he had to get stuck with kitten-sitting duties. That's why there were female cats in the house. Keeping track of energized youngsters was their job, not his.

"_Mao?_" Fat Cat asked as he waddled into the kitchen. Something smelled good and if there was food to be had, Fat Cat was going to be the one to have it. The chubby cat tried to rub up against Fay's legs, but his efforts to mooch food from Fay were in vain. Working the blender with one hand and grabbing raw hunks of stewing beef with the other, she didn't hear Fat Cat enter and accidentally stepped on his tail as she moved to grab a spoon from the dish rack.

"Ah shit! Fat Cat!" Fay cursed as the over-fed animal screeched and bolted from under her, taking shelter underneath the kitchen table. Figaro looked down at Fat Cat with a smug look on his stripped face before he went back to licking his tail. _Sucker._

"Ok. I've got that, now what else do I need? Am I missing anything?" Fay asked, looking over at the stove clock to check the time. She still had enough time to get changed and catch the 10 o'clock bus down to the Boardwalk. Flicking a piece of carrot peel off her cheek, Fay began to put all the used plates and utensils into the sink. She'd wash them later if she got the chance, but they would most likely end up sitting there until tomorrow night. This is what happens when your dishwasher breaks down and you don't have the money to repair it. She began to hum along with the new Def Leppard song that was playing from her wall radio as she untied her apron.

"I never thought that you would know your way around a kitchen. But I guess it's an inherited gift that women have. After all, a woman's place is with the pots and pans." Said a voice that made Fay's heart skip a beat. Her eyes darted to the chair that Figaro had been sitting on, but it was empty. Fat Cat hissed as he slunk further back under the table, trying to hide himself between the legs of one of the chairs. Max casually looked around the kitchen before his eyes came to rest upon the six kittens that were completely oblivious to the evil that had just walked through the door.

"More strays? It looks like you have enough already." Max said calmly as he nodded towards the bottled concoctions that Fay had made as he leaned up against the frame of the doorway. He took off his glasses and began to polish them with the edge of his jacket.

"Where was it they say that you come from again? Was it a zoo or a barn? I think it's a barn because it smells like pig in here." Fay replied tartly as she turned around, placing the apron onto the countertop. Max just gave her an amused look as he inspected the lenses of his glasses.

"Something tells me that this isn't a social visit." Fay said, never taking her eyes off of the Austrian vampire. Max raised an eyebrow and simply smiled. And that is when the kittens began to scream.

* * *

"Hey Marko. Can you fluff up my pillows? I can't seem to reach them." Paul asked innocently as he lay sprawled out on the ragged couch, his injured arm tied up in a linen sling.

"You're an asshole Paul." Marko growled as he went over to the couch and punched the pillows into misshapen lumps. "Happy?"

"Very. Oh, and can you pass me that Rolling Stones mag?" He asked, pointing towards the dog-eared magazine that lay on the floor. Marko's left eye twitched slightly as he grabbed the magazine and threw it at Paul, who caught it with his left hand.

"Is there anything else?" Marko asked, walking away from Paul, completely ignoring his request for a busty blonde in a whip-cream bikini. He stalked over to Dwayne who was sitting on the edge of the fountain, staring moodily at the flaking mural on the wall in front of him. David was sitting up on the bed and was carefully tilting his head left and right, making sure that everything was working properly.

"Man, what time is it? I don't know about you guys, but I'm starvin'." Paul said out-loud as he flipped through the magazine, eyeing a picture of the Led Zeppelin band that he had come across.

"Fay's late." David said as he gently massaged the back of his neck. He had all of his motor skills in working order, but his neck was still as sore as hell.

"That's what's bothering me." Dwayne muttered as he tucked a strand of hair his ear. Fay should have been here over two hours ago. His watch read ten to one and he knew that Fay was one to always arrive on time. He didn't like this, not one bit.

"Maybe she got held up?" Marko suggested, but no one seemed to buy into it.

"Or maybe she ran into our good friend Max." Dwayne growled as he stood and began to pace around the cave. Marko shrunk back sheepishly as Dwayne stalked past him. So much for trying to be the optimistic one.

"You figure that's what happened?" David asked, watching Dwayne prowl about agitatedly. Paul lost interest in the magazine and sat up a bit straighter, looking from Dwayne to David. Were they not telling him something? And since it was about Fay, _why then was he left in the dark?_

"It's what I'd do if someone interfered with me." Dwayne said, kicking aside a stone that lay in his path.

"But we don't know for sure. C'mon…we'd know if Max tried to pull any shit right?" Paul asked as an icy feeling began to creep up his spine. Ok, the little voice of reason in the back of his mind that he usually kept on mute was starting to panic.

"And it's not like Fay can't take care of herself." Marko added. When he had come to, Paul had filled him in on all the details that he had gleaned from Dwayne and David. From the sounds of it, it seems that Fay brought cat fighting to a whole new level. David and Dwayne looked at one another with a grim expression on both their faces.

"Whatever." Dwayne grumbled as he headed towards the rocky ramp. He walked with a slight limp, but that would be gone in a few more days. And in a few more days he was personally going to hunt Max down and beat the proverbial and literal what-not out of him. "I'm gonna go and look for her." He told the others as he started up the ramp.

"Not alone you're not." Marko said as he rose to his feet. Dwayne shot him a warning look over his shoulder, but Marko didn't back down. Hell, Fay had saved all their butts back on the beach and Dwayne wasn't the only one who cared about her. If he wanted to be territorial, that was his problem not Marko's.

"Something tells me you won't have to." David said quietly when a faint sound reached his ears. It sounded like gasping. "Go check it out." David said to Dwayne, who instantly picked up his pace and vanished in the darkness of the cave entrance. The three of them did not say anything until Dwayne returned, holding a small gray figure in his arms. Figaro hung limply, patches of fur missing from his body as he tried to breath in shallow pants. The cat looked like it had been dragged through hell and back. Instantly David, Paul and Marko were up and crowded around Dwayne who moved over to the bed and gently laid the cat on it.

"It's Figaro. How did he get all the way down here?" Marko asked and his question was greeted by silence. Indeed, the pampered housecat had bolted from the house to get help when Max had arrived, but before he had gotten clear across the lawn, Max's demonic Shepard was standing there waiting. None of the house cats were a match for the vengeful canine and Figaro had escaped by the skin of this teeth. Without stopping, the loyal cat had ran from Fay's house in the suburbs, across a busy intersection where he almost got hit by a truck and tore his way into the downtown core. His legs gave out when he reached the stairs and if it hadn't been for David's keen sense of hearing, the boys probably would not have known that he was out there.

"Something must have happened up at the house." Dwayne speculated as Figaro raised his head and mewed in agreement, too out of breath to do much more. David kept his eyes on the cat for a few more moment, his face as expressionless as stone. The tabby slowly turned his head and looked up at David, his green eyes almost pleading with the vampire leader.

"Marko, Paul, take your bikes and hit the Boardwalk, find him. Dwayne, search the beach. If he did anything to Fay he would want to be discreet about it and make sure that only we would find her body." David said quietly. Marko went a sickly shade of green and Paul looked like death had walked over his grave. Dwayne's worried frown turned into an angry scowl as he gave Figaro one more look before he took off in a flurry of movement. He'd cover more ground if he flew and he'd like to see Max try to fend off an aerial attack if he crossed paths with the bastard.

"And you?" Marko asked as David grabbed his coat off the bed and headed for the cave entrance. The other two fell in step behind him as they exited the cave together and stepped out into the night.

"I'm going to see what happened. If you two find anything, come straight back here. If you find Max, don't approach him. I don't need anyone else dying tonight." David said gruffly as he dragged his Triumph from its hiding spot in a shallow outcropping in the rock face and kicked it to life. Without another word, he roared off leaving Paul and Marko in his wake to do what he had instructed them.

"Do you really think that…" Marko began but couldn't get the rest of the words out. He was afraid that if he finished the sentence, it would come true. Paul shook his head, his eyes fearful but he tried not to show it. Max had beef with them, not Fay. But if Max saw Fay as an enemy ally, it stood to reason why he would go after her. But what the hell did she ever do to him, aside from carving him up like a Thanksgiving Day turkey and preventing him from tearing them all into fish-bait?

'Help me." He said to his friend as he tore the sling off from around his neck and tossed it aside. His arm was still bandaged and sore, but he could not drive one-handed. Marko quickly helped him pull out their bikes and after giving Paul an uncertain look, revved his bike to life.

"You sure you can drive?" Marko asked, eyeing Paul's arm as his best friend started his motorcycle. Paul gritted his teeth as he clamped his right hand around the handlebar and squeezed. The muscles and nerves in his lower arm were still on the mend and despite the shooting needles of pain that flared up every time he closed his hand, Paul just bit the bullet. Personal discomfort was the last thing on his mind right now.

"Yeah. Listen. When we hit the boardwalk, we'll split up and meet at the Midway. If Max is there, we'll catch him in both sides." Paul said, taking a page out of David's book. The pincer movement had never failed them yet.

"But David told us not to go near him…" Marko said uneasily. It wasn't that he chicken but they had gotten their asses handed to them only five days ago by the same vampire. If they couldn't beat him as a team, what chance did they have as a fractured unit? Next to none but only David seemed to realize this besides himself. Paul gave Marko a disgusted look before he maneuvered his bike around.

"You gonna do everythin' David tells you? If this bastard hurt Fay, he's gonna pay big time. I don't care what David said." Paul growled before he tore off down the well-worn bike path. Marko watched Paul drive off and with a heavy sigh, followed him up the path. Tonight was going to be bad, he just knew it.

As Paul and Marko worked their way through the boardwalk, David gave the word _haste_ a whole new meaning. He drove like a man possessed, his expert driving skills preventing him from wiping out every time he cut through traffic or jack-knifed a left-hand turn. He made it to Santa Carla's suburbia district in less than fifteen minutes, but he knew that he would not find Max or Fay up at the house. He just hoped that he could scrounge for clues and figure out what happened before the police mucked things up. As he swerved onto Alexandria drive he mentally swore as he cut his speed down to half. There were at least four cruisers parked outside Fay's house and the entire thing was taped off. Neighbors in bathrobes and pajama's stood around on their lawns, talking amongst themselves. As David edged closer to the house, he could pick up whispers of the conversations. Some were saying that it was dug related, others were muttering about serial killers, tying the attack to the rise in the death toll, convinced that they were all going to be murdered in their sleep. But not one person mentioned vampires. When David could get no further, he killed the engine and parked his bike by the curb. He stood on the sidelines as he watched a few officers question the next-door neighbors, keeping one ear on the multiple conversations as his eyes swept both sides of the street. While he was doing this, the hair on the back of his neck prickled. He was being watched. David causally turned his head to the side, letting his instincts guide his eyes until his gaze rested on two boys standing off to the side further on down the street, watching the going on's with identical serious expressions on their faces. They must have been around fourteen or fifteen and judging by the way they were dressed, had watched one too many Rambo movies. This was the first time that David laid eyes on the Frog brothers and it wouldn't be the last.

"Can you please explain once more what you heard sir?" a young officer asked Fay's disgruntled elderly neighbor, who just growled something back at him.

"Like I said for the past five times, I was sitting in my living room, reading the paper like I do every night for the past forty years, when I heard this god-forsaken caterwauling going on outside. Figuring that it was a couple of Fay's cats fighting again, I ignore it but it only gets louder. Then I hear a smash and this god-awful scream and my wife Ellen comes running out of the bedroom screaming that someone was being murdered. Well, Fay's always been a good neighbor so I grab my shotgun and rush out to see what the hell was going on. There were dead cats all over the place, like something had attacked them. Instead of going into the house I run over to the backyard where this sort of whining sound was coming from and when I got there I say Fay laying on the ground surrounded by broken glass and more cats. Most of them were dead, but there were a few that were still alive and it was them who were making all the noise. It was like they were trying to call for help or something. I didn't go inside the house but had Ellen call 911 and waited until you guys got here." Mr. Grisham said as the officer took down notes and nodded his head.

"Did you see anyone go into or exit the house during this time?" The officer said, looking up at the old man. Mr. Grisham thought for a moment before he shook his head.

"No. I didn't see anyone. But I did hear something though. When I entered the backyard I could have sworn that I heard wings…like the sound bats make when they fly all over the place." He said and the officer just nodded his head. Wings…right. David listened to the conversation and stayed where he was until the old man was done talking to the officer. When the man moved away to go into the house, David weaved his way over to Mr. Grisham, making sure to make himself heard as he approached the guy.

"Is Fay alright?" He said as he tapped the man on the shoulder. Mr. Grisham turned and when he saw who it was that was talking to him, bristled up like a porcupine.

"Alright? How should I know? Those damn medics wouldn't tell me a damn thing. All I know is that they took her to St. Michael's hospital." He growled, giving David a hard look as the vampire turned to leave. St. Michael's hospital was about fifteen minutes east of here. David knew that he could make it in half that time. Yet, before he took a step towards his bike, Mr. Grisham grabbed him by the arm and held him back.

"This is your doing isn't it? Ever since you and those other long haired punks have been creeping around here, there's been nothing but trouble. You hoodlums and your drugs and gangs. You see what happens when you get good, honest people involved? If Fay dies, it's on your head. Her blood is on your hands!" Mr. Grisham growled before David wrenched his arm away. Mr. Grisham's gravelly voice rose as David stalked away, the old man's words hitting their mark. If he had listened to Fay when she had tried to warn him none of this would have happened. David scowled as he mounted his bike but the roar of the engine could not drown out the man's last words.

"This is all your fault! And it's just the beginning!" Mr. Grisham swore as David pulled away form the curb and drove off, heading towards St. Mikes. No one knew it at the time, but the old man's words were going to turn out to be prophetic. This was just the beginning of a dark time for Santa Carla and all of its residents, undead included.


	13. Chapter 12

There were hardly any cars on the usually busy streets as David rip-roared towards the monumental building that was St. Michael's hospital. As he turned right at the last major intersection, he could already smell the sharp, antiseptic scent that hung around the hospital like a fetid stench. It was one of those smells that you couldn't help but shudder at. David was bosom bothers with death but he always felt uneasy whenever he was around hospitals, hence the reason why he constantly avoided them. He had know vampires that used to frequent the sick and dying in the terminal wards, delivering death to those who sought release from their hellish state of decay, but for the life of him he could never willingly set foot in those white washed walls that were bleak, barren and devoid of all hope.

David drove into the public parking lot and parked his bike in the first empty parking space that he came across. He sat there for a moment as he kept the Triumph's powerful engine running, debating with himself whether or not he should enter the building. Part of him willed himself to turn right around and drive off without a backward glance, leaving Fay to her fate, whatever it was. He didn't know if she was even alive, and if she was, he knew that Max would have had a field day working out his anger on her. It was the way of the vampire, nothing stood in your way and every opposition was dealt with brutality and savage cruelty. But he couldn't imagine Max leaving Fay alive, not after she had snatched his victory right out of his very jaws. If he went in, he would probably have to be the one to identify the body and seeing a mangled corpse that had once been a pestering thorn in his side was not something that he wanted to do. Sometimes it was better not knowing. But the other half of him wouldn't let him turn the bike around. Something was holding him back and it took him a few minutes before he realized that that something was guilt. God, the woman not only challenged him at every turn, but now she had gotten under his skin and was messing with his head. Would he ever be rid of her?

"_Not if you turn your back on her. You _owe _her."_ A voice in the back of his mind whispered, a voice that made him cringe inwardly. If his conscience had been a small bug, he would have crushed it decades ago and torched the remains to make sure that it would never come back to haunt him. But sadly he had to admit that the voice was right. He did owe her, she had literally saved his life and now he was in her debt, one that he had no choice but to repay. Such were the ways of vampires and witches. Damn those underlying technicalities.

"Ok." He muttered out loud as he killed the engine and pocketed the keys. He would go in and find out if Fay was alive or not, he had no other choice. If he didn't he would be screwing himself over in more than one way. The boys would never forgive him and would most likely revolt, seeing that Dwayne and Paul were smitten with her. And no matter how you look at it, three against one was not an odd to turn your nose up at. Buttoning up his trench coat, David headed towards the emergency room at the side of the hospital where the doors were always open, accepting everyone who walked past them. When he entered, he blinked at the harsh neon light that blazed down from the fixtures in the ceiling, leaving him momentarily disoriented. A screech of tires and clatter of metal and running feet forced him to quickly step aside as two medics came running in, pulling a stretcher between them. A victim of a car crash lay immobilized on the stretcher and David knew by sight that the man would only last for a few more minutes, he was gone the moment the two cars collided. David watched as medical personnel came running from every direction and usher the injured man out of the waiting room. David's eyes lingered on the double doors that separated the emergency waiting room from the busy corridors of the hospitals crammed ER, lost in thought. A gentle tap on the shoulder brought him back to reality.

"Can I help you?" A woman in a pair of blue scrubs asked, the plastic name tag clipped on the pocket of her shirt telling him that her name was Nancy Albrite. She was one of the nurses working the night shift at the hospital and despite her professional face that was void of emotion, David could tell that she felt for every injured and ill person that was brought through those sliding doors.

"Yeah, actually you can. There was a woman that was brought here a while ago, around twenty years old. Her name is Fay Prima…I'm her boyfriend." He said as he avoided looking into the nurse's eyes. Under the harsh light he probably looked like death reincarnated. Neon did nothing to help a vampire's already pale complexion and if Nurse Nancy knew her stuff, she would instantly pick up on the fact that bleach white was not a healthy human complexion and the last thing he needed was for awkward questions to be asked. Nancy regarded him for a moment before she nodded her head.

"Wait one moment." She told David before she hurried off to the receptionist's desk and began to rifle through some papers, whispering with another nurse in hushed tones. David let his eyes wander around the waiting room, looking at all of those who have yet to be seen. He began to pick out those who were on their way to the grave by sight and smell and just as he finished dividing those who could be saved from those who were beyond help, the nurse came back.

"Please follow me." She said, beckoning David to follow her as she headed for the double doors, her pace swift and sure. David hesitated for a moment before he glowered and followed after her. There was no turning back.

"I'm Nurse Albrite," She introduced herself as they walked down the long hallway, past the rooms that were filled with patients in beds, groaning and moaning in misery as their family members and loved ones stood by helplessly. Nancy turned to look at David over her shoulder and when she saw the drawn, dark look on his face, she mistook it for a sign of fear and confusion. "You can call me Nancy." She said, offering David a small smile in hopes that she could put him partially at ease.

"I'm David." He replied as they walked past a room that reeked of blood and antiseptic. The overpowering smell made him falter slightly as it hit him like a sledgehammer, sending his heightened senses spinning.

"Are you all right?" Nurse Albrite said as she reached out and steadied him, studying him carefully.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Where are we going? Where's Fay?" He asked her, quickly steering away her interest in him as he played the part of the frantic-but-trying-to-hide-it boyfriend. Nancy didn't say anything for a moment as they turned a corner and headed down another hallway, this one a little less busy.

"I'm going to introduce you to Dr. Gordon and let him explain the situation. I'm not really sure how she is doing, but I'm sure that Dr. Gordon will be able to tell you." She said, the stale words sidestepping his question in a professional manner. David frowned but said nothing. This couldn't be good.

"If you can just wait here David, I'll go and get the doctor." She said as she led him to a small, out-of-the-way waiting room and vanished behind another set of doors before he could ask her another question. The moment he stepped into the room, David's eyes were instantly drawn towards the only other person in the waiting room and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Standing with his back turned towards David, there was no mistaking the rival vampire.

"What are you doing here." David demanded in a harsh voice as he instantly went on the defensive, tensing himself to spring at Max at any given moment. However, the older vampire calmly turned and regarded David with an almost amused smile. David's eyes narrowed as he glared up at Max, his teeth set on edge as the very sight of the vampire infuriated him to no end. Max snorted as he adjusted his blazer and sat down on one of the chairs that lined the wall, resting his right foot on his knee.

"The same reason you're here." He said calmly, watching David who stood rooted to the spot, fighting the urge to lunge at him. It would be amusing if he had, but Max knew that the younger vampire had a mort more self control than the other vampires that followed him around like a pack of dogs. Max sat there in a patronizing way which seemed to further infuriate David and he couldn't help but chuckle softly to himself. Boys had such hot-blooded tempers.

"If you're here then you didn't do as good a job as I thought you would. Getting a little sloppy are we? It must be the old age." David said, giving Max a cold smile as he remained where he was, reining himself in and clamping an unreadable expression on his face. The two vampires eyed each other in silence for a few minutes, the mental barriers up at full force as they tried to discreetly pry into one another's thoughts without seeming to.

"We'll see." Was all that Max said before he turned his head to look at the small man dressed in a white lab coat that came striding quickly towards the waiting room. This must be Doctor Gordon. In an instant the crafty leer was replaced with a look of pure concern and anxiety, a look that would have won the vampire an Oscar if it had been captured on film. David blinked, instantly catching on to Max's game and his own hard look automatically switched back to the anxious boyfriend appearance. And to add the finishing touches, David brought forth a few tears and wiped them away when the doctor entered the room. Oh woe is me, my girlfriend is dying…yeah right. Two can play at this game, so let the performance commence.

"Doctor Gordon?" Max asked as he stood up, adjusting his blazer as he held out his hand to the smaller man. Doctor Gordon, who was by no means a fool, quickly took in the situation without batting an eyelash. It looked to be the typical scene; the girl's guardian was a proper and well-off man while the boyfriend was the rebel without a cause type, nothing but trouble. However, the look on the young man's face caught Dr. Gordon off guard, even if he didn't show it. How he hated being the bearer of bad news, but it was all part and parcel of being a doctor. Clearing his throat, he decided to go ahead and grab the bull by the horns and get this thing over as quickly as possible.

"Yes I am. You must be the girl's uncle." Dr. Gordon said as he shook Max's hand, looking the vampire in the eye without flinching. Before Max could say anything, the small doctor turned towards David, giving him a hard look before he spoke up. "And you are?" He asked David, letting the young man introduce himself.

"David. I'm Fay's boyfriend. How is she?" David said as he nodded his head to the doctor before shooting Max an unreadable look. Max practically glowered but decades of experience kept him from betraying himself in the doctor's presence. Instead he answered David's look with a snort, drawing Dr. Gordon's attention away from the younger vampire. Dr. Gordon's eyes moved faster than one would give him credit for and he picked up on the hostile tension between the two, even while they were both doing an excellent job at hiding it. Ah…it was one of those kinds of relationships. Well, no matter, they both had a right to know and Dr. Gordon would inform them and let them fight it out at another time.

"Well, I'm going to get straight to it gentlemen. The condition is critical. Fay is currently undergoing emergency surgery in order to stop the internal bleeding she sustained. I cannot tell you any details because at this point in time, we are not a hundred percent sure of what the extent of her injuries are. We suspect a break in the spine, but I cannot tell you if it has paralyzed her. I am going to need to run more tests. Her left leg is broken and it will need reconstructive surgery in order to reset the bone into its proper place." He said, his voice steady and precise, making headway in order to get back to what he was doing as soon as possible. Fay wasn't the only patient in the hospital that was in need to emergency care, and his skills were needed elsewhere at the moment. There wasn't much to tell them because Fay's actual state had yet to be precisely determined. He did not want to burden the two with speculations and half truths and he did not believe in feeding people lies in order to make the truth easier to bare.

"Until she regains consciousness, we can do no more than guess at what the extent of the damage will be." Dr. Gordon finished, watching the reactions of the two men. Max let out a heavy sigh as he sat down on a chair, taking off his glasses to massage the bridge of his nose, seeming deeply troubled.

"Do you know how long it will be before she wakes up?" He asked the doctor, wearily sliding his glasses back onto his nose. David reacted to the doctor's words as any distraught boyfriend would, or so one would think. Dr. Gordon didn't even flinch as the chair was sent flying past him and came to a halt just short of crashing out into the hall. He calmly watched David as he paced back and forth like a caged animal, looking about ready to kill something.

"David, I know that this is not easy for you to hear but this is a public hospital filled with patients and sending furniture flying is not going to do you any good. As for your question sir, I would say in a day or so. She suffered some slight head trauma, but nothing too serious." Dr. Gordon said, his gaze shifting from David once the younger vampire had "calmed down". "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other patients to tend to. If anything happens, you will be informed immediately. But my advice would be for you both to go home for now. It may be a while before Fay gets out of the operating room." The doctor said just as his name was paged over the hospital speakers.

"Dr. Gordon to intensive care. Dr. Gordon to intensive care." The voice said from a speaker in the ceiling above them. With a final look, Dr. Gordon turned and hurried out of the waiting room, vanishing down the corridor as he hurried towards the intensive care ward, leaving the two vampires alone once again. Both Max and David allowed a few minutes to pass before they dropped their acts, reverting back to their stand-offish selves.

"Her uncle? I don't see the family resemblance." David chuckled darkly as he casually leaned up against the beige wall, watching Max carefully from halfway across the room. Max just smiled but didn't respond. Internally, David growled but outwardly, he was the picturesque figure of calm, waiting for Max to make his move. Max, on the other hand, had a slightly serious expression on his face, as if something was bothering, but not quite.

"Well David. You have two choices." Max finally said, sitting back in the chair with a small sigh. David blinked, taken aback somewhat, but he instantly recovered himself.

"And what would they be?" David asked Max, his eyes carefully guarded, knowing that if Max were going to strike, it would be now. He had to be ready for whatever poison this decrepit snake was going to spit at him.

"Well, you could walk away right now and we can continue to battle it out from here to eternity. I won't stop you." Max said, glancing down at his wristwatch, checking the time. "But if you do, the girl dies. Or, you could do the intelligent thing and submit and we can get this whole thing over and done with."

Max's frank proposition was enough to get David laughing, especially the part of him submitting to Max. There wasn't a snowballs chance in hell that he would ever willingly submit to the old tyrant, even if it meant risking his own neck. Max just watched David quietly, waiting for the chuckling to subside.

"And why would I want to do that?" David snorted, unable to repress the smirk that made its way onto his lips,

"Because if Fay dies David, do you honestly believe that the others will let you get away with it? As much as you hate to admit it, that girl has just as much influence over the other three as you do. Women can be very cumbersome when it comes to these sorts of situations. And I'm telling you this from experience." Max replied as he glanced down at the Rolex on his wrist, checking the time. "Well, unfortunately I am going to have to cut our little conversation short. My proposition still stands, so it's up to you to decide what you boys are going to do. Here's what I'll do. I will give you four let's say, two hours to decide on a final decision. I have a place by the beach that's about an eight minute drive from the Boardwalk going east. If you decide to do the smart thing, I'll be expecting you boys at four thirty sharp. And I wouldn't want to be late if I were you. I might just get the wrong impression and if that happens, I am going to starting writing up a eulogy. Planning a funeral is such a time consuming task, I don't know where I'll fit it into my schedule, but I'll manage somehow."

With that Max gave David what could only be considered as a fatherly, knowing smile and rose to his feet. Without another word, the old vampire walked out of the waiting room whistling under his breath. David stood there, his eyes staring distantly at the spot where Max had been a moment before, going over everything that had just happened. He blinked once when full force of understanding hit him head on like a freight train. He had just been beaten. Max had preformed the perfect _coup de grâce_ and David hadn't even had the time to retaliate. With an unseen underhand movement, Max had unearthed the ace out from his sleeve and laid down a full house, all the while leading David on by the nose, keeping him distracted by stoking his ego which added fuel to the fire. And Max had done all this without even laying a finger on him. _Oh, he was good. _

"You have to be kidding me." He muttered out loud as he hurried out of the waiting room and stopped in the middle of the empty corridor, looking both ways to see if he could spot Max's towering frame. But the vampire was nowhere to be seen. He had simply vanished without a trace. David cursed violently under his breath as his hands balled into fists, his anger at his own stupidity and at Max's conniving mind rising to the point that he was about ready to erupt. He needed to get out of this place now before he let loose in front of hundreds of people. With his teeth on edge, David stormed out of the hospital, mounted his bike and roared out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell. Come this time tomorrow, the phones at the police headquarters will have been ringing non-stop throughout the day as people frantically called in to report missing loved ones and friends. It would seem that the death rate of Santa Carla had jumped quite a bit in one night alone. I wonder why.


	14. Chapter 13

**Greetings Vamp Fans!**

**Here is chapter 13, part two. But to save on a lot of grief, we'll just call it chapter 14. This is the second part of the exciting climax of this story that has taken me over a good month to write. I lost half of it due to system faliure and had to re-write it. But I must say, I like this version much better than the old one. Thank you all for your awesome reviews. I really appreciate it. I just hope this chapter lives up to your expectations! Oh and just incase you don't know, I do not own any of the Lost Boys. Only Fay and those wonderful cats of hers. If I did own them, I don't think I'd be writing this. wink**

**Happy Reading**

* * *

David sat on the edge of the fountain and sighed quietly to himself, running his gloved hands through his hair as he waited for the others to return. What the hell was he going to do? Max had him wedged between a rock and a hard place and there wasn't anything that he could do to stop him at this point. He was teetering on the edge of a precipice and all it would take would be for the slightest breeze to send him tumbling head-first into the black abyss. That damn vampire had planned this out since the beginning and David had walked right into his hands without even realizing it. He was an idiot of the highest degree. 

"I'm such a fucking moron." He growled at himself as a cold gust of wind came howling into the main cavern, scattering bits and pieces every which way. Even the weather was in a bad mood. A cold growl tickled the back of his throat as he looked down at his hands and finally noticed that his leather gloves were seeped in blood. Muttering darkly under his breath, David ripped off the gloves and shoved them into his coat pocket as he rose to his feet, glaring about the cave, looking for something to vent his frustration on. The killing spree he had gone on had barely satiated the hard core killing urge that was rearing its ugly head and it was going to take more than a dozen mutilated people to even start to have a calming effect. Basically, David was pissed, beyond pissed actually. Fucking pissed to the point where anything that got within two feet of him was instantly destroyed.

"FUCK!" David roared, his voice echoing throughout the cave and was lost in the howling wind that rose in pitch to accompany his rage-filled ranting. He had fucked up without knowing it and he hated it. He hated his own stupid ego, he loathed Max to no end, he despised the fact that he had not seen this coming; right now he just wanted to beat the tar out of something, or better yet, someone.

"_Merr."_ Growled a small voice as David turned and shot Figaro a lethal look that would have sent an enraged bull running for its life.

"What? Are you going to patronize me too?" He snapped at the ragged cat, which curled back his lips and hissed at David, green eyes narrowing. Figaro growled at him as his stripped tail whipped back and forth in agitation, wanting very much to scratch the whatnot out of David's face. But instead of attacking the vampire, the faithful cat looked about as he leapt up onto the bed. He hunkered down by the pillows, sniffing the dust covered bed sheets as he did so. David snorted and turned his back on the cat. Ok, he had to think this through very carefully. He had what, forty five minutes to an hour left before he had to meet Max's deadline and in that short time span, he had to figure out a way to fix all this without getting himself, the boys and Fay killed. Oh and somehow manage to finish Max off at the same time. Could this get any more difficult?

"_Maowww, maowww…"_ Figaro wailed pitifully, his loud lament filling the large cavern and echoing down the nooks and crannies of the once five-star hotel. David's left eye twitched as he ground his teeth together.

"SHUT UP!" He swore at the cat, who completely ignored him and continued to cry.

"_Maoww…maom…mum…want mum…where's mum…mum…"_ Figaro cried, curling up into a ball of fur as he looked about the cave, looking for Fay. David was about to throw something at the cat, but stopped himself when he started hearing the words. _What the fuck?_ David stared dumb struck at Figaro who continued to yowl out loud, crying the way cats do when they are scared and lost. He didn't move for a good two minutes as he listened to the cat cry out for Fay, hearing scattered words instead of nerve-grating mewls. The cat was talking…somehow that cat was talking.

"I'm going crazy. I have to be." David muttered to himself as he shook his head and tried to block out Figaro's cries. But it didn't do him any good. The cat continued to wail and David still heard the words "mum" and "want" in every other meow.

"Will you shut up? Please _shut up_!" David growled, but Figaro just gave him a scathing look and continued to yowl, the sound nearly driving David to the brink.

"_No. You're going to listen for once, whether you like it or not._" Said another voice, a gruffer one, one that made David take an involuntary step backwards.

"Who said that? Don't fucking try to play mind games with me." David snarled as he whirled around, trying to find the source of the voice. Figaro's wailing had quieted down a notch, but it wasn't his voice that David was hearing.

"_Then I suggest you don't try to do the same with us."_ The voice said again and this time David realized that he was hearing it inside his head. Great, first talking cats and now he's hearing voices in his head. What part of this did not seem normal? Hmmm, I wonder.

"Oh really? And why would I want to do that?" David spoke out-loud, as he carefully scanned the shadows and the ceiling. But he still could not find the unknown intruder.

"_Because,"_ the voice said and something shifted just out of the corner of David's eye. David whirled around, ready to attack, but was confronted with a very annoyed looking Tomfoolery, who was sitting stock still on the fountain ledge, "_as you would put it, you fuck with Fay, it'll be the last thing you ever do."_

"Fay has devil cats. Why am I not surprised? Is there anything else that I should know about before I go fuckin' crazy? Maybe there's a flying broomstick somewhere? Or better yet, how about a frog that can see the future? Nothing can surprise me now." David laughed wickedly, his anger and surprise boarder lining madness at this point. However, the alley cat just sat there, giving the vampire a disgusted look as he waited for David to stop cackling to himself. Vampires were such a waste of time; he didn't know why Fay bothered putting up these guys, this one in particular.

"So what are you going to do to me? Call up the cat mafia and have me whacked? Now that's something that I'd like to see." David said sarcastically as he stared down the tom cat, whose one eye never blinked. "Why are you here?" He growled softly, his face darkening as the cat just sat there, staring. He knew he wasn't going to like the answer. After all these were Fay's cats, her own private little army. But there was something wrong about all this, something that was nagging at the back of his mind. Something didn't quite fit.

"You're not a cat, are you?" He said after a few moments, analyzing the old grizzled tomcat more closely. Tom had whiskers, four paws and a tail; hence he certainly looked like a cat. The thing is _he didn't smell like one._ Tomfoolery slowly shook his scarred head from left to right, the tip of his tail curling about his front paws as he did so.

"_Vampires have the hounds of hell, witches have familiars. I've been with Fay's family for centuries. And I shall continue to do so as long as there are Primas or until my last life runs out. Whichever comes first."_ The old cat said, his voice murmuring in David's mind. David had always had a knack for telepathy and he had a sneaking suspicion that the cat, or whatever he was, knew it too, hence this little conversation. But that didn't explain why he could hear Figaro weeping and wailing in the corner. As far as he was concerned, cats could not talk.

"_You are right, they can't. I was letting you hear him from my point of view."_ Tom said as he looked over at Figaro who was now watching them from his spot on the bed, trying to figure out what was going on. _"As for why I am here. I'm here to give you some advice and a warning." _

"Great, let me guess. I have to lick Max's boots or else you'll kill me?" David snorted. He really didn't need this right now. Even though she was an inch away from death, Fay still managed to make his life a living hell. How the _hell_ did she do it?

"_Not exactly. You and the others must submit to Von Ruben. It's your only chance and Fay's as well. Hear me out before you shoot off some sarcastic remark boy! You cannot beat Von Ruben on your own. You have already tried that, and look at where it got you. Many have tried over the years and seeing that he is still around, it is safe to presume that they all failed. And Fay cannot defeat him on her own either. Tell me David. Have you given any thought as to why you all ended up this way? That night when you and the other vampire where fighting it out on Fay's lawn, did you ever think to yourself that it would turn out the way it did? Your interest in the two young ones, Fay's connection with them…coincidence? Let me tell you something David. There is no such thing as coincidence. Things happen for a reason. Trust me on this one, I know what I am talking about."_ Tomfoolery said calmly, catching David's undivided attention. The cat waited while David mulled over his words, allowing for enough time to pass before everything sunk in. "_Yes David, all of this has happened for a reason. Call it destiny if you will. You all need to defeat that vampire and you cannot do it if both you and Fay are dead. I do not think that I can make myself any clearer than that. Now, if you'll excuse me, the others are returning. I hope for all your sakes that you don't do the moronic thing and ignore everything that I have just said. There is more at stake here than just your lives."_ And with that, Tomfoolery got up, leapt off the fountain ledge and vanished into the shadows before David could question him. Just as he did so, Paul and Marko came trudging into the cave, looking wind-blown and nervous. Talk about impeccable timing.

"Is Dwayne back yet?" Marko asked as they both picked their way down the rocky ramp, looking around the cave as if expecting Dwayne and Fay to appear out of thin air. David gave the shadows one final look before he turned to the two others and shook his head.

"We couldn't find him. I swear David, we looked everywhere. When we didn't find him on the Boardwalk, we both split up and started combing the city. There wasn't even the faintest sniff of him anywhere. We swung by Fay's place hoping to run into you, but you weren't there and there were all these people and cop cars so we figured that we'd come back here and see if you guys had better luck." Paul said wearily as he lifted his good arm and ran his hand through his tousled hair. Both of them looked like they were at the edge of their ropes and David's deliberate silence wasn't doing a damn thing to put them at ease. They both wanted to fire off a string of questions, but they knew better. David would only explain everything when all four of them were together and not a moment before.

"What's wrong with Figaro?" Marko asked as he heard the cat's quiet cries. He looked over at David, who simply shrugged his shoulders, and then made his way over to the bed. Marko gently picked up the cat, which only hissed once but didn't bother fighting back. "Don't worry, she'll be alright." Marko said as he scratched Figaro behind his ear. Figaro mewed and buried his head in Marko's jacket, allowing the young vampire to cuddle him. Even though Marko was more of a bird person, he knew how the cat felt and well, misery loves company.

"Where's Dwayne man? Why isn't he back yet?" Paul asked as he paced back and forth, fidgeting with one of Marko's drumsticks that had been lying about. He couldn't sit still. David didn't say anything and that made Paul even more nervous. He didn't like this, this silence, this not knowing anything.

"I couldn't find her." Dwayne's voice rang out as he flew into the cave, landing heavily beside David. Both Paul and Marko looked and him and made their way towards the other two, wanting to hear what Dwayne had to say. David turned his head slightly to look at Dwayne, who was soaking wet and had a piece of seaweed stuck to his leather jacket.

"When I couldn't find anything on the beach, I search the sand banks. The tide had gone out so I figured if Max tried to get rid of her body, he'd have dumped it rather than wait for the tide to take care of it." Dwayne said as he shook himself, trying to get rid of the excess water. Marko plucked the strand of seaweed off of his shoulder and flicked it away as Paul handed Dwayne the bottle of blood that they always kept hidden somewhere in the cave, never in the same spot for more than a few weeks at a time. Dwayne nodded his head in thanks and took a long swing from the bottle, letting David's blood work its magic. Out of all four of them, Dwayne was the one with the greatest resistance to running water. David wouldn't go near it and neither would Marko. Paul wasn't too bad but after a few minutes it would start to cause havoc with his senses and leave him dumbfounded and immobile if he stayed in contact with it for too long. Hence the reason why he was so pissed when Dwayne pitched him into the ocean six days ago. After scouring the seabed for fifteen minutes straight after he had done a fly by of every inch of the coast line, Dwayne had had no choice but to give up the search and make a hasty retreat or else subject himself to the power of the fierce current and get dragged out into the Pacific and get fried once the sun rose.

"Fay's alive, for now." David said when Dwayne handed him the bottle. Marko and Paul simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief at David's words, but Dwayne's expression instantly froze. David wouldn't meet his gaze as he corked the bottle and placed it down on the red tool-box that held all of their tools and spare bits and pieces that they used for their bikes.

"So Max didn't kill her? Thank god." Paul said as he exhaled a bit of his pent up anxiety. That was all he had wanted to hear.

"What do you mean _for now_?" Dwayne asked David, the tone of his voice instantly shutting Paul and Marko up. All eyes were on David as he stood there, watching them all with an unreadable expression on his face. "What did Max say?" Dwayne asked softly, already knowing what David was going to say. Paul and Marko however, were still a bit on the naive side of vampire politics, hence their instant confusion.

"Max? You spoke to Max?" Marko asked looking from Paul, and then kept switching his gaze from Dwayne to David, trying to read the two of them. David nodded his head slightly, his every move analyzed by the three others. "So?" Marko added when David didn't say anything. "What does he want?"

"He gave us a proposition boys. We either submit to him and he lets Fay live. If we don't and we fight, he'll kill Fay. He wants our answer within the hour." David said quietly, his eyes on Dwayne, who looked ready to gut David with his bare hands.

"And what did you tell him?" Paul asked, staring hard at David, asking the question that Dwayne didn't trust himself to ask. "You said yes right? You told him that we'd submit, didn't you?" Paul asked him, leaving no doubt about what his own answer to Max's ultimate question would be.

"Boy Paul, you sure aren't one to stand your ground when the chips are down." David muttered quietly, which wasn't the smartest thing to say. The murderous look on Paul's face would have made Dwayne proud, if he had been looking at Paul. But his eyes were locked on David and only David, and for good reason too.

"Don't fucking tell me about standing my ground. You told him no?" Paul snapped back, his bad arm shaking slightly as his hands clenched into a fist.

"No I didn't. I didn't tell him a god damn thing. Happy? We have half an hour to come up with a some sort of plan to beat him at his own game because I don't know about you, but I sure as hell don't want to spent the rest of eternity under his boot. I can't see myself playing the lap dog. If you want to, by all means go ahead." David growled, directing his words to both Paul and Dwayne. Paul calmed down slightly, but not Dwayne. He wasn't going to let David off this easily.

"We _can't_ beat him at his own game David. We already tried that. He almost killed us. And if we try it again, this time I don't think we'll get away with only a few broken bones because we won't have any back-up. Or did you forget about that? It's quite funny to see how you forget about the times when someone else had to save your ass David. Or is it that you aren't man enough to handle the fact that a girl did what you couldn't?" Dwayne sneered, his words stinging David where it hurt the most. His ego.

"Oh really? Is that what you think this is about?" David asked softly, his blue eyes flashing dangerously as took a step forward, a clear indication for Dwayne to back off. But Dwayne, being Dwayne, wasn't going to back down. David may be the leader and have authority over them, which was something that Dwayne still had trouble dealing with a times, but this was Fay's life that David was jeopardizing and as far as Dwayne was concerned, Fay was _his_ not David's. So like hell was he going to let some control-freak of a vampire mess with what he considered his personal territory.

"If it's not, why don't you tell us what it's really about? C'mon David, the clock's ticking and you're running out of time." Dwayne bristled as he too took a step forward, glaring David in the eye. The two were almost standing nose to nose as the tension level in the cave double with each passing second. Marko shifted nervously but no one paid any attention to him. Paul was also growled as he watched David, waiting for what he would say next. If Dwayne made a move, Paul sure as hell was going to add his two cents in and right now, David was the ideal punching bag. Fay may be Dwayne's, but he wasn't the only one who had feelings towards her and Paul was also sick and tired about David's authoritative ways. Screw freedom and brotherhood, lately it was more like dictatorship and obeying orders. And if there was one thing that Paul would say about this it would be "_up yours asshole."_

"Well, I don't know what's running around in your mind Dwayne but I have a pretty good idea as to what it could be. And unlike you, I'm looking at the bigger picture here. There's more all this than just me and your girlfriend." David's voice never raised above a murmur. When David was at his most dangerous, it was when he was quiet. They all knew this. But after a major defeat that they sustained a few nights about and the constant anxiety that they were all feeling that night, it was no wonder that tempers were rising like a red-hot barometer.

"You sure about that?" Dwayne shot back, growling as he felt his teeth start to elongate on their own. "Because I honestly think that you don't give two fucks about what happens to her or to us. Because when it comes down to it David's, you only care about what happens to _you_. What a leader." Dwayne spat, knowing fully well how much his words would piss David off. He was taking a leaf out of Fay's book and if there was one thing that drove David mad, it was when his authority was challenged. And right now, this made the mutiny on the bounty look civil. David didn't react to Dwayne's words, well not a first. But in the end he lost the battle of self control and with a savage roar, sent Dwayne flying straight into Paul, the two crashing to the ground from the force of David's blow.

"_Don't you dare question my leadership of this group."_ David snarled viciously, in full vampire mode and with his fury in full swing, it was truly a terrifying sight to see. With teeth flashing, Dwayne leapt to his feet to meet him head on, but it was Marko who bet him to it. Caught completely by surprise, David went down under Marko's full body tackle and both vampires scrapped it out on the floor of the cave. But for some strange reason, Marko managed to pin David under him and after slugging him hard a few times in the face, stunned David enough so that Marko could pry David's death grip from his throat.

"YOU IDIOT! YOU'RE ALL IDIOTS! CAN'T YOU SEE THIS IS WHAT HE WANTS? QUIT BEING SUCH DICKS AND LISTEN TO YOURSELVES! YOU'RE FIGHTING EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF FIGHTING HIM!" Marko screamed as he riled on David, for a moment being a force of nature all to himself. Paul just stood there too shocked to be of any use and Dwayne wasn't about to lift a finger to help David at this point. Never before had any of them ever seen Marko let loose like this and it was enough to get them all to rethink the situation…a bit.

"Get…off." David growled as he grappled with Marko, but the younger vampire wouldn't comply. Instead he rammed his fist straight into David's nose, breaking it with a sickly crunch.

"YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LET HIM KILL FAY! NOT FAY! FAY SAVED OUR LIVES, SHE SAVED ALL OF US AND THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I AM GOING TO LET YOU HURT HER ANY MORE YOU BASTARD! I DON'T CARE IF WE HAVE TO DRAG YOU TO MAX! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LET HIM HURT HER AGAIN!" Marko yelled, making sure that David got the message before the vampire leader knocked him off. Marko was still swinging when David rolled on top of him and pinned his arms to the floor. When that happened, all the fight left the young vampire and he lay there, not bothering to fight back the tears that streamed down his face.

"What the fuck is your problem Marko?" David growled, slightly taken aback by Marko's sudden collapse of composer, but he wasn't going to let the other vampire up until he was dead sure that Marko wasn't going to pull another stunt like this again.

"You're going to let him kill her. After what she's done for us…for me. I won't let you David. She fought you for me, she tried to protect me. She would have killed you that night to save me. Don't think that I won't do the same. I won't let her be taken away from me, like what happened to mom. I can fight it this time. I can do something about it, so don't think I won't." Marko muttered between clenched teeth as the tears stopped flowing. Vampires aren't known for their range of emotions and Marko's crying only lasted a moment. But a moment was more than enough.

"David, let him up." Paul said, walking towards the two of them. If David didn't let up, Paul would make him. Only Paul knew how close Marko and his mother had been and how hard the guy took his mother's death four years ago. The others didn't know because Marko hadn't said anything about her passing and Paul wasn't about to talk behind his best friend's back. Only Fay knew, and even she did not know the full story or the extent of it all. Paul instantly realized why Marko had snapped the way he had. Whereas he and Dwayne considered Fay to be a love interest, one whom both were constantly in rivalry for, Marko saw Fay as a more maternal figure, as a replacement mother for the one he had lost in his early adolescence. David saw Fay as a rival for the boys, they all knew it, but not even he had any clue as to Marko's feelings towards the witch.

David looked down at Marko for a moment before he let him up. He brought his right hand up and gingerly snapped his nose back into place, growling slightly under his breath as he did so. Paul side-stepped David as he rose to his feet and went over to Marko, holding out his hand to help him up. But Marko ignored Paul and picked himself up off the ground as Figaro padded towards him and rubbed up against his leg, meowing softly.

"So…what are we going to do now?" He asked out loud, avoiding everyone's questioning looks as he bent down and picked up the cat, keeping his eyes on the back of Figaro's striped head. Paul and Dwayne looked over at David, who was wiping off the blood on his face with an oily rag that was usually used to clean bike parts.

"Do? What choice do we have? We have a better chance of getting rid of Max if Fay is alive." David said as he carefully sniffed and tossed the rag away.

"But who's to say that Max won't kill Fay once we submit?" Paul asked, knowing better than to take Max's word at face value.

"He won't." Dwayne muttered as he tucked a strand of fly-away hair behind his ear.

"How do you know?" Marko asked, still not looking at anyone as Figaro sniffed his fingers, purring softly.

"Because, with her alive, there will always be the threat that he might kill her if we do anything…say, like try to kill him." Dwayne responded with a sigh. Right now, he just wanted for this night to come to an end.

"But if he'll kill her if we try to kill him later, then doesn't that defeat the whole point of us submitting to him to keep her alive?" Paul asked, picking out that point from the whole hodge-podge of questions and concerns that revolved around this situation.

"Don't worry Paul. Fay will think of something. After what he's done to her and to us, do you honestly think that she'll stand by and let this whole thing go unforgotten? I know I won't. If we work together, Max won't have a hope in hell of avoiding what's coming to him. But until then," David said with a suppressed sigh, "we're playing by his rules."

"So we submit? Agreed?" Dwayne asked, looking at all three of them. Marko nodded and so did Paul. They all looked at David to see what he would do.

"As much as I hate to say this, we let him win this round." He said after a moment. What else could he do? Caught between a rock and a hard place. The only option was to chew his own arm off.

"The let's not keep the good Baron waiting." Dwayne muttered as he turned and headed out of the cave, followed by Paul. Marko hung back a moment before he put Figaro down and headed after Paul. But he stopped for a moment when he came leveled with David.

"Thank you." He said, slowly bringing his eyes up to look at David. David just raised an eyebrow.

"Let's just hope I don't live to regret this." He growled softly and left the cave in a gust of wind, leaving Marko alone with only the cat to keep him company.

"Here goes nothing." Marko sighed as he looked down at Figaro, who was looking up at him with his wide green eyes. After a reassuring meow from Fay's beloved cat, Marko quickly scrambled out of the cave and mounted his bike, taking up the rear of the four man entourage as they headed for Max's house. When the four of them pulled up on the winding driveway that lead to a large house overlooking the beach, they were greeted by the large, furry form of Thorn who stood guard, watching them. After a few tense moments, the hell hound let them pass and followed them as they headed for the front door. Just as they reached the porch, the door swung open and Max appeared in the doorway, holding a glass of red wine that he sipped casually as he looked them over.

"Right on time. I like that. Well, come on in boys. No need to stand there and let a draft in." Max said as he stepped aside, holding the door opened for David and the others, smiling smugly as David led his boys inside. Max closed the door after Thorn trotted in, too busy gloating over his victory to notice the scrawny form of a one-eyed cat that slunk up the walkway and vanished into the bushes. Tomfoolery carefully padded up to the porch and leapt onto the windowsill, peering inside to watch as Max forced David into submission and became the new Head Vampire of Santa Carla.


	15. Chapter 14

**Ahoy ye of the Lost Boys fandom!**

**Thank you all for your reviews! I am glad that you all are enjoy the story. Oi! picks up TheSummoningDark and dusts her off with a brush I'm touched, really I am. But there will be no worshipping of this story! If you want to worship the Lost Boys, there's the movie, Kiefer,Mneme's fanfics and Kiefer to grovel to. Go and spread the joy,I mighteven join you! (grins)**

**On a side note, the lyrics from Elvis' Love Me Tender belong to the King, but you all know that. Also, Star will be appearing in the next chapter and Michael and Sam won't be appearing in this story until the end. This is the story about the boys and about why things turned out the way they did in the movie. So, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I'll get cracking on the next one asap!**

**Happy Reading.**

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**The real story is about four guys who were dealt the joker's card and ended up paying the price for something that they never had to get involved with and all for the sake of friendship.**

_I cannot say it any other way. That is what happened. Instead of letting Max finish me off, which by all rights they should have done so, seeing that it was my own damn fault that I interfered in the first place and the consequences were mine alone to bare, thus sayeth the witch's law. But no, they would not, did not let that happened. It was some time later that I found out what really happened between the boys and Max, but I had always suspected that the story they fed me when I was doped to the gills with morphine was nothing but a load of crock. And I was right, surprise surprise. But what they did, sacrificing their own freedom and independence to a dastardly tyrant in order to protect a friend, is something that I can never be able to repay. People say that the boys were monsters, sinners, utterly devoid of goodness in any form, demons who live only to kill and be killed. I won't deny it, vampires are vampire, and there is no changing that. But what people don't realize is that despite this image that surrounds them, making it nearly impossible to see through to it, there is another side to them. I'm not saying that they're saints or God's gift to mankind, even if they do look it, I'm just saying that despite their nature as predators, they did have feelings, emotions and beliefs. There is always two sides to every story, always remember that. Do not be so quick to judge others without discovering who they truly are. That is what's wrong with today's society. People _will not _learn to see past face value and this is why we have all the problems that we do. It says something about who we are. We may not kill people for food, but we hurt, sometimes kill others through racism, violence, corruption and greed. Vampires kill to survive, humans kill for what? That is something that I do not know the answer to. _

_The boys made a deal with the devil that they would follow him and that I would be forgotten. But since when do the boys follow any authority but their own? They knew that if Max found out they had seen me he would kill both them and myself. But it was a chance that we all were willing to take. That's what it means to belong, and all any one of us ever wanted was to belong. We were a family, bonded by ties greater than blood or oath. And we still are...we still are._

It had been a week and a bit since Max had overthrown David and forced them all to submit to him, and despite their pent up frustration and anxiety, they could not chance going by the hospital to see Fay. Max was watching their every move like the demented vulture he was and they all knew it. So they laid low, tested Max's patience and boundaries, fighting against his rein on them, making sure that he didn't have any doubts about what they were up to. If they had meekly submitted and did nothing, Max would have been onto them in an instant. But if they made it plain that they weren't happy with the situation and rebelled a bit, Max would be satisfied. They weren't the first pack that he had taken over and a rebellious stage was to be expected. What would Paul, Marko and Dwayne do without David's cunning mind, I dare not imagine.

When Max had gone upstate to secure the borders of his new territory, the boys knew that this was their chance to check in on Fay without their intentions being discovered. None

of them had any idea how bad off Fay really was or what to expect and that fear of the unknown made them all nervous. The minute the sun went down that night, the boys hit the road and drove over to St. Michael's, each one lost in his own thoughts. No one said anything as they trooped into the hospital via the front entrance and waited while Paul ducked into the lobby gift shop to pick out a get well present, which turned out to be toy polar bear in a tutu and ballet slippers. David went over to the information desk and the male nurse that was on duty told him that Fay was on the intensive care ward on fourth floor, room 2013. After thanking the man, the four of them took the elevator up to the floor that Fay was on. All of them were shifting nervously expect for David, who somehow remained to keep himself calm and poised. From what Dr. Gordon had told him when he had last been here, Fay's spine had been snapped and no one knew if she was going to wake up paralyzed. He had told the others all that he knew, but no matter what he said, he knew that he could not prepare them or himself for what they were about to see.

"You still got him?" Paul asked Dwayne, who was leaning against the elevator wall, his arms crossed awkwardly over his chest. Dwayne nodded but didn't say anything. The strange bulge in his closed jacket moved slightly, uttering a faint meow before falling silent, as if the cat knew what was going on. Figaro had followed them out of the cave and climbed onto Dwayne's bike when they had gotten ready to leave for the hospital. The loyal feline would not be deterred and despite David's negative scowl, Dwayne had tucked the cat into his jacket and smuggled him into the hospital. He knew that seeing Figaro would give Fay some relief, but it would not be enough to dampen her anguish at loosing nearly all of her housecats. Max and his hellhound had made sure that Fay's cats paid the price for what their interference, even when the cats fought tooth and claw to protect Fay. Even Fat Cat had heroically tried to stop Max from attacking Fay by savaging his ankles, but the overweight cat was no matched for the annoyed vampire and was sent flying down the stairs like a soccer ball, colliding into the wooden banister and walls before landing in a broken heap on the main floor.

Marko nervously chewed on his fingernails as the elevator stopped at the fourth floor and had to be nudged out into the hallway by Paul who had the same uncertain expression on his face, despite his best efforts to hide what he was feeling.

"This way," David quietly told them as he headed down the hallway, following the numbers on the doors before came to room 2013. They all stopped outside the closed door, trying to work up the nerve to turn the door handle and step inside. A soft, nearly inaudible whine escaped Marko as he jammed his trembling hands into the pockets of his jacket, his eyes glued on the tiles beneath his boots. Paul gave his best friend an understanding look as he gently placed a hand on his shoulder, steadying him. David cleared his throat before he stepped forward and opened the door, leading them into the room. The room, like all hospital rooms, was bare and impersonal. There were two beds standing parallel to each other, divided by a linen curtain, but only one of the beds was occupied. Marko bit back a sob that threatened to collapse his unsteady, forced calm when he saw Fay lying deathly still, hooked up to god knows how many machines, looking like something out of a sci-fi movie. Paul looked like he had just swallowed a liter of holy water as his hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms hard enough to draw blood. Dwayne swore softly under his breath as he averted his eyes, taking in a shaky breath to prevent himself from lashing out at something. And David, David stood there with an expressionless mask for a face, looking as if he had been carved from stone. At least she was alive.

"_Merw! Merw!"_ Mewled a frantic Figaro as he clawed at Dwayne's jacket, trying to get out. Dwayne unzipped his leather jacket and Figaro didn't bother waiting to be put down. The cat jumped out of Dwayne's arms and bounded towards the bed, leaping up onto it, his green eyes wide and questioning. When Fay didn't respond he began to prod her with his nose, sniffing and meowing, wondering why she wasn't moving. The gray tabby instantly curled up in the crook of her arm, licking her hand with his rough, pink tongue and rubbing his face against her palm, trying to coax a response from Fay. After a few minutes of trying, the cat sneezed and began to purr happily as Fay's fingers gently brushed his paws.

"Fay?" Dwayne said softly as he walked over to the right side of the bed. Paul followed him while Marko and David stood on the left side, all of them anxiously waiting for some sort of response.

"What?" Fay whispered so faintly that the vampires almost didn't hear it. Paul breathed a sigh of relief as Marko sniffled, brushing his hand across the corner of his eyes. Dwayne carefully sat on the edge of the bed, taking care not to move her or jostle any of the random tubes that were connected to various parts of her body.

"How ya doing?" He said, gazing anxiously at her face, eyeing the slowly healing bruises and stitched cuts that covered her once flawless complexion. She looked like she had gone the distance in a Rocky movie, but at least her eyes weren't swollen shut. He stared at her left leg, which was covered in a plaster cast and elevated by a hanging hammock of sorts, and slowly looked over to David, who shook his head slightly.

"How…do you think?" Came her reply, slightly louder this time. Her eyes still remained closed, but she was conscious and aware of them, despite heavy dosage of painkillers that she had been given to keep the pain at bay. Figaro rested his head against her leg, his thin tail slowly tapping back and forth as he peered around the room, listening.

"You look good Fay. Better then I do when I wake up at night." Paul quipped, hovering over Dwayne's shoulder. At his words, Fay slowly cracked opened an eye, trying to focus on their faces. Paul flashed her a small grin, one that she tried to return but failed miserably.

"Why the long…face Marko?" Fay said as she closed her eye and sighed, the sigh turning into a slight gasp as a twinge of pain ran through her. All four vampires exchanged a look before Marko answered, his voice slightly unsteady.

"With you here, Paul's drivin' me crazy." He said, following Paul's lead and tried to lighten the dismal atmosphere.

"I'll bet." Fay said as she slowly raised her hand and laid it on Figaro's head. The cat closed his eyes and purred, his tail curling around Fay's arm, wanting to be touched by her. "Thanks..." She said, as her fingers slowly scratched Figaro's head. So far only her right arm had moved, the rest of her body lay stiff and immobile which was something that didn't sit too well with the four boys. A cold chill ran up David's spine as he stepped slightly to the side, eyeing the medical chart that hung from the foot of the hospital bed, quickly reading the chicken scratch that was scrawled on the thin, pink page.

"_What is it?_" Dwayne's voice whispered in his mind and David allowed the other vampire see through his eyes just exactly what Max had done to Fay. Her left leg had been broken in two places and the bones where now held together by metal pins. A few cracked ribs and a sprained wrist came next, but this was nothing compared to what was written on the lower half of the page. Fay's back was fractured in three places along the spine where the disks had been crushed and in order to keep everything intact, the hospital personnel had surgically replaced the damaged vertebrae with metallic ones and had inserted two titanium rods into her back to brace either side of the spine. The rods were permanent.

"_No_." Dwayne's voice hissed as David slowly reached over and picked up Fay's medical chart, reading it over carefully. Figaro raised his head and looked at Dwayne as he sensed a change in the vampire. Paul was watching David out of the corner of his eye and the stony expression that crept onto his face made him stand up and take notice.

"_Does she know?_" Dwayne's voice asked once more as the dark-haired vampire looked down at Fay, who seemed to have drifted off without any of them realizing it.

"I don't know." David said out-loud as he hung the medical chart back on the foot of her bed. Marko blinked and looked up at the others, just catching what David had said. Paul and Marko exchanged a puzzled look, not knowing what David was talking about. Paul looked down at Dwayne and then at David, opening his mouth to ask a question but the slight shake of David's head made him reconsider his actions. Not here.

"C'mon." David murmured softly to Paul and Marko as he turned and headed for the door. The other two didn't want to leave Fay's bedside, but they realized what David was doing. Dwayne needed some time with Fay, alone. Paul swallowed and clasped Dwayne on the shoulder, letting him know that they were with him before he followed David out of the room. Marko's eyes lingered on Fay for a moment longer before he sighed and headed after the other two, lost in his own thoughts. She was alive; at least she was still alive.

The room fell silent after Marko shut the door behind him, leaving Dwayne alone with Fay. Figaro stood up and stretched, arching his back as he did so. Mewling softly, he turned in a half circle, careful not to step on the IV tube that snaked from the crook of Fay's elbow. With a small snort, the cat nudged Dwayne's arm with his nose, burrowing his way under Dwayne's arm. Dwayne looked down at Figaro, who was staring up at him with his big, green eyes, questioning the vampire with a simple look.

"It doesn't look good." He said as the cat flicked an ear back, nosing the zipper-lined edge of his jacket. Figaro meowed softly as he sat down by Dwayne's side and somehow, he didn't know how, but somehow Dwayne got the distinct impression that the cat knew exactly what he was talking about. With the rods implanted into her back, Fay would no longer be able to bend, and that one little issue would utterly destroy her world. No bending meant no dancing, and no dancing meant no living. Fay was a dancer, she lived to dance. Just as an artist relies on his eyes to see the images that he paints, a dancer relies on his or her body to express themselves. But not any more. Max had known exactly what he was doing. Hurt Fay, the boys had no choice but to follow through with his wishes. Take away the boys and her ability to move, he would break her. Sometimes it is worse to let a person live then to kill them. Living meant suffering, and that is exactly what Max wanted. Broken and beaten, Max would have the victory and revenge that he wanted. In conclusion, Max would win.

Dwayne carefully untangled Fay's hand from the nest of tubes that snaked around her arm and covered it with his own. He stayed like that, just watching her, wondering what would be next to come hurtling their way. They were all in way over their heads and right now it felt as if they were drowning, miles away from land. If anyone could help them, it was Fay. But, who could help her? Crippled for the rest of her life, there wasn't enough magic in this world to undo what Max had done. He just hoped for her sake and for theirs that she was strong enough to get through this, mentally as well as physically.

"Love me tender, love me dear, tell me you are mine. I'll be yours through all the years, till the end of time." He sang softly as he gently caressed her hand, coaxing some warmth back into her fingertips. You wouldn't have expected it by looking at her, but Fay was a die-hard Elvis Presley fan. Her bedroom was literally covered in Elvis paraphernalia, from the Elvis bedspread to the famous porcelain bust that took its place of honour on her dresser, complete with a pair of dark sunglasses. Dwayne had had quite the experience waking up at sundown to be greeted by a life-sized portrait of the King staring down at him from the wall. No matter where he stood in her bedroom, he couldn't shake the feeling that the painting was watching him And knowing Fay, it probably was. What Dwayne didn't know was that behind that painting, Fay kept all of her family heirlooms and rare items of magical properties that she has either collected over the years or inherited from various aunts and cousins. So his feeling of being watched was right. After a bit of nifty spell casting, the king of rock and roll now resided in her bedroom, keeping a watchful guard over her prized possessions.

A small, tired smile tugged at Fay's lips as she listened to Dwayne croon softly. She squeezed his hand to let him know that she had heard him, and that simple action was all Dwayne needed. She was going to pull through; she wasn't going to let Max break her. It took more than just death to stop a Prima.

"Nolite te basyardes carborundorum," She struggled to say, her voice so faint that Dwayne had to lean forward to hear her. He frowned as the words rang a familiar chord with him. He had heard those words before, but he didn't know what they meant. It was some form Latin, pig Latin to be exact.

"_Don't let the bastards grind you down."_ Fay's voice whispered in his mind before her eyes rolled back into her head and she slipped away into unconsciousness once again. Dwayne nodded as he gently laid her hand back on the bed. He slowly stood and bent over, kissing her gently on her forehead, above the stitched up cut that was an inch and a half long in length that ran across her right eyebrow.

"We'll get him. Don't worry." He said softly as he straightened up and reached down to pick up Figaro. Only problem was that the cat was nowhere to be seen. Dwayne quickly scanned the room for the grey tabby, but the feline was nowhere to be found.

"You take care of her Figaro." He said out loud before he headed for the door. He didn't know how they did it, but Fay's cats had an unnatural knack for vanishing into thin air when you least expected it. But Dwayne had a hunch that the cat would hang around, keeping Fay company. He gave Fay one last look before he opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, quietly shutting it behind him. That would be the last time any of them would see her for the next two months. Yet during the upcoming months of solitude, Fay would not be idle. No, the wheels in her head were starting to turn and by the time Fay was released from the hospital, a fully-fledged planned would have hatched in her mind, one that had a large black X crossed over Max. Only later on would Max come to understand what a mistake he had made in letting Fay live. One that he was going to have to pay dearly for.


	16. Chapter 15

**Hello folks.**

**Due to a major writing block, this chapter is long over-due. I know I promised Starwould appeare in it, but every time I write one chapter, I realize that I have an extra one to add on, hence this story just keeps on getting longer and longer. But do not worry, she'll be making her grand entrance in the next one. As for this chapter, it's all to do with the little relationship triangle between Fay, Dwayne and Paul. Please don't kill me. I'll be getting back on track with the next one and from there, we shall eventually get to the epilogue of this story. I've come too far to just let this thing sit here to collect dust, and plus, I really want to let you guys read about the massive cat fight that takes place in chapter 18. So without futher ado, here is the long awaited chapter 16. Enjoy!**

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**Two Months Later…**

It was five o'clock on a Thursday afternoon in mid-January when the papers were signed and Fay was finally allowed to leave the hospital and go home. After two solid months of living off of hospital food and with only her own thoughts to keep her company, Fay looked like shit. The kindly Mrs. Ellen Grisham had to nudge her husband in the ribs to stop him from blurting out the obvious when the elderly neighbors had arrived at the hospital to bring Fay home that evening. When the doctor had left, Mrs. Grisham didn't give Fay or her husband a moment's peace, bustling about like a nervous mother hen clucking and chucking as she bundled Fay into twenty layers of clothes. Fay didn't say a word the entire time as her old neighbors tried to get some sort of conversation started. Instead she just stared glassy eyed out of the passenger window of the Grisham's old Chevrolet, watching the sun slowly creep towards the horizon.

"Well now, here we are. Home sweet home." Ellen chirped when they pulled up into Fay's small driveway. The windows had been repaired and the interior of Fay's house had been thoroughly cleaned and tidied up while Fay was away. The house looked as good as new. Well almost. The small two story building had a depressing, forlorn feel to it, as if a dark cloud of smog hung over it, giving off this unsettling atmosphere.

"Frank, get the bags." Ellen told her husband as she helped Fay out of the car, handing her the plain wooden cane that she was now forced to use in order to keep herself balanced. Mr. Grisham grumbled something under his breath but a sharp glare from his wife instantly shut him up.

"Just be careful now. Take them one at a time. That's it." Ellen said as she forced a sunny smile onto her face as Fay carefully navigated up the four wooden steps of her front porch. Fay's sullen demeanor had the old woman concerned. Fay was always so full of energy and spunk, smiling and laughing on a whim. But now, it was like looking at the shell of what had once been their get-up-and-go neighbor.

"Frank, the door." Ellen snapped as her husband dragged the two suitcases up to the front door and dumped them onto the porch.

"Will you give me a minute woman? I only have two hands." The old man growled as he rummaged through his keys, finding the spare key and inserted it into the lock.

"How about a nice cup of tea Fay? You must be exhausted." Ellen crooned as she guided Fay into the house, shoving her husband out of the way as she did so.

"That's gratitude for you." Frank growled as he grabbed the suitcases and totted them in, nudging the wooden door closed with his knee once he was in the front hallway.

"Alice and Mimi came by and helped to put the house back in order. Everything is exactly as it was." Ellen said, brimming with false enthusiasm as Fay slowly peered into the living room, inspecting the walls and the floors.

"No it's not." Fay said quietly as she slowly hobbled into the living room, making her way over to the couch. Mr. and Mrs. Grisham exchanged an uneasy look as Fay carefully sat down, leaning her cane up against the glass coffee table, the one which Alice had replaced because the original one had been smashed to pieces.

"Oh honey, don't think like that. You know what the doctor said. This is a whole new beginning for you." Ellen said as she bustled over and sat down beside Fay, leaving her husband to stand awkwardly in the entranceway.

"I miss them." Fay whispered softly, leaning over and resting her head against Ellen's shoulder. The older woman clucked under her breath as she carefully wrapped her arms around Fay, hugging the young woman to her.

"Oh, I know you do. The entire neighborhood misses them. But the cats have gone to a better place." Ellen crooned as she stroked Fay's head, thinking that it was the deceased cats that Fay was pining over. Fay sighed heavily as she closed her eyes, letting herself be mothered by her concerned neighbor.

"Thank you." Fays murmured when she opened her eyes, looking over at Mr. Grisham. The old man gave her one of his rare smiles as he nodded his head. When the yellow tape had gone down, Frank had ventured into Fay's house and collected the bodies of Fay's cats. He then brought them down to the local vet and had the nine cats and six kittens cremated. Alice and Mimi had pooled their money together and bought a large urn to house the ashes of Fay's beloved pets. They even commissioned one of their artist friends to paint a cat mural onto the urn's shiny surface, which now stood by Fay's small fireplace at the end of the room.

"Is there anything that Frank and I can get you? I stocked up for fridge full of fresh food and I've tupperized some of my meat loaf, tuna casserole, spaghetti and roast beef for you. You should be fine for a few days without having to cook." The kindly old woman said as Fay pulled away from her, taking off the two scarves that Ellen had wrapped around her neck. "Here, let me help you with that." She said as she started to work on the buttons of the large overcoat.

"It's ok Mrs. Grisham, I think I can do it myself." Fay said quietly, staying the old woman's hands with her own. The hurt look on the Ellen's face was replaced by one of understanding when she realized what Fay meant. With a slight permanent limp and the inability to bend, it was plain to see why Fay wanted to do things on her own. Even something as simple as unbuttoning a coat gave the girl some piece of mind that she wasn't completely hapless and that it was possible to put her life back together. Fay wasn't going to come bounding back to her old self; she was going to have to crawl along, inch by inch to get there. Mr. Grisham cleared his throat as he motioned at the front door with a jerk of his head, telling his wife that it was time that they had best left. Fay was always one for privacy and now they could tell that she just wanted to be left alone.

"Well Fay, if you ever need anything, anything at all, you know that you can come to us." Ellen said as she rose to her feet, adjusting her coat as she did so.

"Yeah, all you have to do is scream and we'll come running." Mr. Grisham said with a chuckle, one that died on his lips when both Fay and Ellen glared at him. "I huh….mean…." He muttered before quickly letting himself out.

"Thank you for everything Mrs. Grisham. I don't know what I would without you two." Fay said with the hint of a smile on her face.

"Oh, don't you worry about it Fay. With you living here all by yourself, someone's got to look out for you." Ellen said, returning the smile. She picked up her purse and went to the front door, looking over her shoulder as she did so. Fay was starting to take off the coat, the body brace making it a bit difficult to shrug out of it. Mrs. Grisham sighed softly as she opened the door and let out a startled squeak when something small and gray shot past her and into the house.

"Fig!" Fay cried as her beloved tom cat launched himself into the air and collided into her, meowing for all he was worth. "Oh Fig, Fig, you overgrown bottle brush! Where have you been? I've missed you so much. Kiss?" Figaro lifted his head and pressed his nose to Fay's lips, fanning out his whiskers as he did so to give her a cat kiss. Fay sniffed as she crushed the cat to her, smothering him in a hailstorm of kisses and for once he didn't mind.

"I wonder where that cat's been all this time." Ellen whispered quietly to herself as she watched the reunion, smiling softly. Well, at least Fay still had one of her cats left. Without saying another word the old woman quietly let herself out and crossed the lawn to reach her own house. As Mr. and Mrs. Grisham retired into their home for the evening, the sun slowly began to set leaving a brilliant red sunset in its wake.

By the time Fay had finally put everything away and settled in, the mobile Felix the Cat clock read 11:23 pm. Wearing nothing but an over-sized t-shirt and a pair of baggy sweat pants, Fay inspected herself in the full-length that stood in the corner of her room. She looked normal enough, aside from the slight scar that ran through her right eyebrow and her unusually straight posture. She was going to have to wear a body brace for the next five months until her spine was fully healed and wearing that thing was like being trapped in a corset that wouldn't move with your body. It was safe to say that she loathed the thing with a passion.

"Well?" Fay asked out loud as she turned around, looking down at Figaro who was sprawled across her Elvis comforter, sniffing the cane that was lying beside him. The gray tabby lifted his head for a moment and meowed before going back to inspecting the cane.

"At least I can get rid of that stupid thing in a month or two. Damn well un-dignifying if you ask me." Fay yawned as she sat down on the bed, pushing Figaro to the side as she swung her legs onto the bed. The cat rolled to his feet and pounced on her, latching his claws onto the sleeve of her shirt. Fay looked at him as he stared up at her, butt in the air, green eyes shinning while his thin tail arched into a question mark.

"What's this? The pint sized wonder wants to wrestle eh?" She said in a mocking tone as Figaro grumbled, tugging at her shirt. "Gotcha." She yelled as she suddenly grabbed him, flipping him upside down before plopping him onto her chest.

"_Mew!_" Figaro cried in protest as she kneaded his belly. The cat tried to worm his way out of the tummy torture but to no avail. So he gave up and contented himself with batting at Fay's face with his tail, giving her a mouthful of cat fur.

"Why you ungracious fur ball." Fay sneezed as Figaro's tail tickled her nose. The tabby just closed his eyes and purred, happy to be home with Fay. It irked Fay that she wasn't able to curl up into a ball with her cat and that one thought instantly dissolved her playful mood. After a few moments, Figaro realized that something was different and he opened his eyes just before Fay pushed him off of her.

"_Maow?_" He meowed, wondering what was wrong. All he got was a heavy sigh as a response. The cat turned his head and looked up at the life-sized portrait of the King of Rock and Roll and the painting just blinked at the cat. Figaro sat up and peered at Fay's face to see if he could read her facial expressions, but the witch was staring straight ahead, lost in her own thoughts.

A half an hour passed and during that time, Fay didn't move so much as an inch. Figaro gave up and satiated himself by curling up beside her and drifting off to sleep, dreaming whatever it was that cats dream of. The rest of the night would have gone on in this manner if it hadn't been for the sudden "wham" that startled both Fay and Figaro upright. Instinctively Fay groped underneath her pillows for the large knife that she always kept there, but it took her a moment to realize that the knife was no longer there. So instead she clutched her cane tightly, holding it up like a baseball bat as she stared wildly about the room, fully expecting Max to come bursting through her bedroom window with fangs bared.

"Hey babe! Guess who…" A familiar voice said out of nowhere.

"AHHHH!" Fay screamed as she practically flew right off the bed, which was by no means an easy feat for her at this time, and spun right around, swinging the curved end of the cane straight into Paul's face as hard as she could. Caught completely by surprise, Paul was a split second too slow to avoid getting his head bashed in and with a sickening crunch, the blonde vampire stumbled back against the wall with both hands over his nose.

"God damn it!" He swore as blood started to trickle through his fingers. He blinked owlishly as he tried to get the bright spots before his eyes to stop dancing around. Fay stood in the middle of her bedroom, cane still held ready, staring at Paul as if she didn't recognize him.

"Paul?" She whispered, not quiet believing what she was seeing.

"Yah…hi Fay." He said as he raised his left hand in a mock salute while he kept his right hand over his busted nose, trying not to bleed all over the place. Pity these things never work out as one would hope. Just as Paul pulled himself off the wall the bedroom door flew open and Dwayne burst into the room, pulling a _Risky Business_ move that rivaled Tom Cruise's. The door slammed into Paul's already bloodied face and the vampire went down for the count before Dwayne even came to a complete stop.

"Ah shit." Came Paul's muffled cry as he landed on his ass, completely dazed.

"What the fuck?" Dwayne muttered as he closed the door, staring down at Paul. He could just imagine the little play-boy bunny cartoon figures swirling above Paul's head, like something out of a Saturday morning cartoon episode.

"Dwayne? Paul? Wha…" Fay stammered, looking from the floored Paul to the slightly bemused Dwayne with a look of pure confusion on her face.

"We heard that you were coming home today and here we are." Dwayne said as he grabbed Paul by the back of his jacket and hauled the guy to his feet. Paul just nodded to whatever Dwayne had just said, not trusting himself to speak. The room was still spinning and he was currently seeing doubles of Fay, so he took that as a sign that things were still a little scrambled up in the attic, if you know what I mean.

"Here you are? ARE YOU GUYS MENTAL? WHAT THE HELL EVER POSSESSED YOU TWO TO COME HERE!" Fay shrieked, waving her arms around for extra emphasis. Dwayne stepped backwards to avoid getting smacked by her cane as she blasted them one, looking like a woman possessed despite the obvious stiffness in her posture. Paul looked over at Dwayne, but neither could comment on her actions as she ranted and raved like a regular farm-grown loony who had just escaped from the nut house.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! NOW! IF YOU GUYS KNOW THAT I'M HERE THEN MAX WILL KNOW! IF HE CATCHES YOU TWO HERE HE'LL KILL YOU ALL!" She screamed at them, trying to herd them out of the room with her cane. However no matter how hard she tried, the two vampires didn't budge and after five minutes of screaming at the top of her voice, the effects of over-exerting herself caught up with her and before she could stop herself, she stumbled forward as a wave of light-headedness swept over her. Dwayne instantly caught her before she could crash head-first into an inanimate object and pinned her to his chest as she tried to pry herself away, cursing and flailing for all she was worth. The scuffle didn't last long and by the time Paul's vision was back in working order, Dwayne had calmed Fay down to the point that he could actually get a few words in edgewise as the near-hysterical witch berated the two of them for coming to see her.

"Just relax for a minute Fay, you're going to stress yourself out." Dwayne said calmly, trying to get Fay to stop trying to push him out the bedroom door. Figaro peered cautiously from underneath the bed, watching the entire episode from his place of refuge.

"I'll be less stressed if you two got the hell away from here. How do you know that he's not outside right now, just waiting for you?" Fay said, quickly glancing out her window to see if Max was lurking in the shadows or something to that effect.

"Fay, don't worry girl. He's not out there. You can trust us on this one." Paul said as he helped Dwayne haul Fay over to her bed. Between the two vampires, Fay didn't stand a chance and when she finally realized this, she stopped struggling all together. But that didn't mean that she was about to give up entirely.

"Trust you on this one? Paul, right now this isn't about trust. This is about a psychopathic maniac of a vampire that is, in all probability, listening to every word that we are saying. The guy is Satan spawn; I wouldn't put it past him." She said as she looked over her shoulder once more, staring intently out of the dark window. Paul just rolled his eyes as he went over to the large window, drawing in the curtains to stop Fay from getting distracted every five seconds.

"You're giving him way too much credit Fay. Max is a bastard, but he's no Prince of Darkness." Dwayne snorted as he perched himself on the edge of her bed, sitting on one side of her while Paul launched himself onto the unoccupied space of the queen sized mattress, his landing nearly sending Dwayne tumbling off of it.

"Watch it." Dwayne growled as Paul laughed and rolled over onto his back, resting his head beside Fay's leg. Fay arched an eyebrow as she scowled at both of them, keeping her arms crossed over her chest, refusing to let them off this easily.

"Awww, c'mon Fay, don't be like this." Paul whined as he looked up at her, giving her those innocent puppy eyes that had landed him into her good graces all those months ago. Fay narrowed her eyes and snorted as she stood up and walked over to her main dresser, grabbing the box of Kleenex that was sitting beside the Elvis bust and marched back over to the bed.

"Those pity puppy eyes won't work on me Paul. And you're bleeding all over the place." She muttered as she yanked a few tissues from the box and began to mercilessly dab at the bloody trails that covered the lower half of his face.

"Owww…OW! Jeez woman are you trying to…ahhhh! That hurt!" Paul complained as Fay "accidentally" dabbed him on the nose. He tried to move away but she pinned his head to the spot by sitting down on his hair, preventing him from going anywhere.

"Oh will you quit complaining? You whine like a ten year old girl." Fay said as she grabbed a fresh tissue from the box, licked the corner of it and began to rub away a smudge on the corner of his mouth.

"I do not." Paul muttered as he tried to bat away her persistent hand, but to no avail.

"Do to." Dwayne said, not bothering to cover his up his laughter at Paul's plight.

"Do not!" Paul shot back, glaring over at Dwayne who just laughed louder, egging Paul on.

"Ok, enough!" Fay snapped as she tore a tissue in half and rolled the halves into small cylindrical wads. "I swear you two act like little kids."

"He started it." Paul muttered out of the corner of his mouth, glaring over at Dwayne who just leered in response.

"Yeah? Well I'm finishing it. So shut it, both of you." Fay growled as she rammed the wades of tissue up Paul's nose to staunch the bleeding. Paul swore something colorful as she did this while Dwayne crumpled up piece of tissue and used them to pelt the hapless vampire, trying to see how many times he could nail one in Paul's mouth before Fay caught on. When one of the pieces bounced off Fay's face, Dwayne instantly hid the evidence and tried to look as innocent as possible as she slowly turned to glare at him, her left eye twitching. If it hadn't been for Figaro, who suddenly decided to pounce on one of the crumpled tissues that now lay on the floor by the edge of the bed; he might have gotten away with it too.

"What did I just tell you?" She asked him in that tone of voice that you knew that you were automatically screwed. Paul silently laughed at Dwayne as he tugged his hair free and sat up, gingerly inspecting his nose. The pain was already started to subside and it was only a matter of time before everything was back in its proper place. So he smartly decided to just humour Fay for the time being and put up with the annoying tissues, least she break something else on his body in retaliation. Crazy cat ladies….you never knew what mood swing they were going to get into next.

"Hey! The thing!" Paul said, the little light bulb over his head suddenly blinking on as he remembering something, the reason for them coming here.

"What thing?" Fay asked him, quickly looking from Paul to Dwayne, suspicion rising like a heated barometer.

"Fuck man, go get it." Dwayne said, motioning to Paul to get his ass moving before he did it for him. Paul rolled his eyes as he crawled off the bed and sauntered out of the room, leaving the two alone for the time being.

"Get what Dwayne? What's Paul getting?" Fay questioned him but before she could launch herself into a full-blown inquisition, Dwayne leaned forward and snared her in a kiss that made her next words fly right out the window. Two months of not knowing anything had caused Dwayne to go into himself, clamming up around the others so that by the end of the first month, his brooding silence had finally become the accepted norm. Max kept a careful watch on the sullen vampire, knowing that a sudden change in his behavior would mean that the boys had been up to something behind his back and he really didn't have to think all that hard as to what that "certain something" could possibly be. David, being the ever-devious one that he is, knew this and if he knew it, the others knew it as well. So it was then up to all four of them to keep up the subservient masquerade in order to keep Max looking in the wrong direction while they went about plotting and planning his demise.

"Ahem…you two want me to come back later?" Paul cough, interrupting the make-out marathon that was going on between the witch and the vampire. Hey, after two months of being cooped up away from one another, it was surprising that they weren't going at it like crazed ferrets.

"No, no Paul. It's alright." Fay said, trying to keep her tone of voice at a dignified level while her face flushed an interesting shade of pink. Dwayne shot Paul one of his piercing scowls, but by now Paul was so used to Dwayne's touchy temperament that the look had little effect on him. If it had been some regular Joe Shmoe standing there, the guy would have ran screaming from the room.

"Anyways, bone head here and I thought that a little welcome home present was called for and well, voila." Paul said as he walked over to the bed, carrying a medium sized box in both hands, one that had a huge red bow planted on the lid of the box and a row of quarter sized holes running along the four sides. Figaro leapt up onto the bed and squeezed himself between Fay and Dwayne just as Paul placed the box on Fay's lap, in order to get a better look at the thing.

"Please don't tell me it's something that died recently." Fay said as she and Figaro exchanged an uneasy glance. God knows what the two vampires would come up with as a "welcome back you're not dead" gift.

"Just open it." Paul grinned as he plunked himself down beside Fay, both eyes zeroed in on the box.

"The question is dare I open it." Fay muttered to herself as she carefully lifted the lid off the box. When she saw what was curled up inside, the expression on her face was priceless. Two huge yellow eyes blinked up at her as the tiniest _mew_ was uttered, a sound that cause a huge smile to suddenly appear on her face, the forlorn look in her eyes instantly vanishing.

"You guys got me a kitten." She said softly as she reached down into the box and carefully scooped up the tiny ball of jet black fur. The golden ribbon that the boys had tied around the kitten's neck dwarfed the little fur ball, who was so small that he fitted neatly into the palms of her hands. Figaro glared up at Dwayne, giving the vampire a scandalized look before Fay stuck the kitten in his face, preventing the tabby from doing bodily harm to the guy.

"Look at him Fig, isn't he the most adorable bit of fluff you've ever seen?" Fay cooed, ignoring Figaro's soft growl of annoyance when the pint sized kitten stuck his tiny paw in his left eye.

"You think he's cute now, wait until you see him when he's high on cat nip. He's one crazy little dude." Paul said as he watched Fay rub noses with the tiny kitten, the two instantly bonding in a way that only cats and cat ladies can bond in.

"What's his name?" Fay asked, tearing her eyes off of the purring cotton ball in her hands to look up at the grinning faces of the two boys.

"Elvis." Dwayne said as he reached over and ran his finger over the kitten's head, fluffing up the "duo" that naturally stuck up between his ears. "Do you like him?" He asked her and the next thing both he and Paul knew was that they were suddenly grabbed in a death grip while Fay burst into tears, sobbing all over them.

"I think that's a yes." Paul said quietly as Fay drenched both of them with her tears. "_Is she crying 'cause she's happy? Or 'cause she's sad?"_ He thought, looking over the back of Fay's head over at Dwayne.

"_I think both."_ Was Dwayne's reply.

Figaro just narrowed his eyes and jumped off the bed, stalking off with his tail raised high in indignation as Fay managed to pull herself together. Dwayne handed her a tissue as she quickly mopped the remaining tears away, becoming calm and poised once again. Elvis, however, was going to need to be toweled down. Having gotten the brunt of Fay's sudden out-pour, the little guy looked about ten times smaller and his head looked twice as big. C'mon, could you get any cuter?

"Sorry about that." Fay sniffed as she cleared her throat, placing the kitten back into his box so that he couldn't wander off and get himself attacked by dust bunnies or whatever.

"Hey it happens to the best of us." Paul chuckled as he took the box off Fay's lap and placed it on the floor. "But he's just part of your gift. The second one we all worked on together." He said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and placed his hands over her eyes, preventing her from seeing what Dwayne was doing. The dark haired vampire got up and went out into the hallway, instantly returning with something held behind his back. Paul waited for a moment before he let Fay pry his hands away from her face and as she did so, Dwayne brought forward the cane that he was hiding behind his back.

"We got word that you were going to be using one for a while, so we thought that this would be more than appropriate, considering the circumstances." Dwayne said as he handed Fay the cane, handle first. Fay eyed the black ebony shaft closely, her fingers lightly running over the silver inlay that snaked around the center of the cane like a fine vine of ivy. However, it was the handle of the cane that really caught her attention. The cane itself was an antique, beautifully preserved but with one exception, the handle. Instead of having the traditional silver horse head that most likely had been a part of the fashionable walking aid, the sleek figure of a leaping jaguar now took its place.

Fay could actually see the retina of her right eye in fine detail as she stared at it, slowly turning the cane to admire it at a different angle.

"Yep, it's solid silver. Chrome would have just looked too cheap. You know, they don't make hood ornaments as good as they used to. It took us weeks to find this one." Paul explained as Fay ran her thumb across the jaguar's face, getting a feel for it. "You can thank David for that beauty. He swiped it off of some hot shot movie star's Jag. Didn't think that he'd be able to get away with it, but David's David, he always finds a way." Paul said before Fay prodded him gently with the cane's handle. "Oh, and that's not all." He grinned.

"Huh?" Fay asked as Dwayne took the cane away from her for a moment, doing his best not to burst out laughing at the bewildered look on her face. The fact that David had actually lifted a finger for her was something that seemed to shock Fay into a momentary lapse of derangement.

"This was Marko's idea." Dwayne told her as he twisted the handle to the side and slid the shaft away, unsheathing the razor sharp blade that was secretly housed inside the cane. Fay's jaw dropped as she realized exactly what she was seeing. It was a sword cane, a _sword cane._ They had given her something that she had thought was lost for good. They had given her a means of which she could use to defend herself with while retaining some sense of dignity. Hey, how many people walk around using a sword cane to get them from place to place? She would never have to worry about trying to conceal a weapon or fret about misplacing one seeing that the cane would be with her twenty-four hours of the day, seven days a week. So in a sense, the boys were actually giving her a bit of freedom. She no longer had to worry about being completely helpless and this simple gesture could set her mind at ease. If she ever ran into Max in a dark alley on a moonless night, all she had to do was whip the blade out and give the bastard what for. Good-bye knife fighting, hello fencing!

"You guys…I don't know what to say." She began but had to stop to remove an annoying bit of dust that got caught in her eye. Before Fay could work up a good cry, both Paul and Dwayne reached over and handed her a tissue each, causing her to sniffle and glower at them at the same time.

"Oh come on! I'm not that bad." She muttered as she snatched up one of the tissues, dapping the corner of her eyes with it while Paul and Dwayne just shook their heads and stuck the entire box of Kleenex in front of her face, just in case.

"Sure you're not Fay. Whatever gave you that idea?" Dwayne asked her as he stepped to the side, avoiding a sudden jab from the cane. Fay tried to give him her "ha ha very funny" stare but it failed miserably. Before she knew it she was laughing at herself and an unexpected "_hiccup"_ caused the other two to cackle like a pair of crows.

"Ah man girl, you're too much." Paul sighed as he fluffed up the pillows and made himself comfortable while Fay sheathed the blade and lightly tossed the cane from hand to hand, getting a feel for its weight and balance. "Yo Dwayne, what time is it?" He asked, too lazy to turn his head to the side and look at the alarm clock that sat on the nightstand beside the bed.

"After twelve. We still got time." Dwayne replied, eyeing the glowing green numbers of the digital clock through its reflection in the mirror, the mirror that showed that there was only one occupant in the bedroom.

"Where are you guys going?" Fay asked curiously as she rose to her feet and rested her new cane against the nightstand. Paul watched her from the corner of his eye as she slowly sank down to her knees in order to pick up Elvis. The little kitten gave a tiny meow of protest before he began to purr like a well oiled motor, rubbing his tiny nose against Fay's fingers as she kissed the top of his head and undid the golden bow around his neck.

"Since Max is out of town for the next couple of days, we figured we should use this time to our advantage. And as much as I'd like to keep you for myself, there are others who want to see you." Dwayne said as he leaned up against the dresser, his gaze locked on Fay as she slowly hoisted herself up into a standing position.

"I don't know you guys; it's cutting it a bit close." Fay said as she quickly glanced over at the draped window, just to reassure herself that there wasn't someone out there watching their every move

"Whatever Fay." Paul said, rolling himself off the bed as snatched the cane from the nightstand and expertly twirled it with his right hand like a baton. "We got a few minutes to kill before David and Marko haul their asses up to the park, so if I were you girl, I'd put on something a little warmer. You still got that leather get-up in that massive walk-in closet of yours?" Paul asked as he eyed the closed door with interest. What other dominatrix wonders could be hiding in that closet?

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Fay asked as she put Elvis down on the bed. When Paul mentioned the outfit, she rolled her eyes and tried to take her cane away from sex-crazed vampire. But Paul wasn't about to just hand it over to her. That would be too easy.

"We didn't drive here Fay." Dwayne said as he quickly crossed the room and grabbed Paul by the collar of his jacket before the guy could crop a feel. "Don't you have something else you oughtta be doing right now?" He asked his fellow blood brother in a dangerous tone that Paul could not ignore even if he wanted to.

"Ugh…yeah. I think it's time I …err…caught up on my MTV." Paul said sheepishly as he cleared his throat, glancing down at the floor in order to avoid looking into Dwayne's slightly off-coloured eyes.

"Then go do it." Dwayne said before he released his hold on Paul. Beaten out of his slight leg up on the courting scale, Paul wasn't about to leave empty handed. Being undead allowed Paul to do a whole lot of things that humans couldn't even being to understand, and with a cackling laugh, he used his inhuman speed to its fullest potential.

"Paul!" Fay protested as he flew past her faster than her eyes could follow. He paused for a moment outside the bedroom doorway and twirled a black-lace thong on his forefinger, one that he had nicked from Fay's underwear drawer, the drawer that was rumoured to contain articles of scandalous clothing that could make you want to get down on your knees and beg. So says Dwayne anyways.

"Sucker." Paul cawed before he vanished from the doorway in a blink of an eye. Dwayne let out a savage snarl but the wooden door slammed shut on its own accord before he could even reach it

"It's alright Dwayne, let him have it. I never liked that one anyways." Fay said with a slight shake of her head. They were really going to have to do something about Paul's sex-drive. If he kept going on like this, Dwayne was more than likely going to remove a certain part of Paul's anatomy that the guy highly valued.

"I swear, one of these days I'm going to teach that guy a lesson." Dwayne growled darkly, glaring at the door for a final moment before turning back to Fay.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure you will. Question. How did he know which drawer I keep my lingerie in anyways?" She asked him, crossing her arms over her chest as she nailed him with a knowing look. Dwayne just tried to look innocent as he shrugged half-heartedly.

"Don't know what you mean." He said, scooping up Elvis from the bed. Fay wouldn't attempt to smack him upside the head if the kitten were in the way. Very sad mind you, but so true.

"Sure you don't. Anyways, if you're just going to stand there, you can make yourself useful and help me get dressed." She said as she picked up her cane and made her way over to the closet. Instantly Dwayne's dark, brooding features vanished, but Fay didn't need to see it to know exactly what just went through Dwayne's mind.

"Not that kind of dressed." She muttered as she opened the closet door and stepped inside, hunting around for the light switch. Dwayne's face fell as he sighed, plopping Elvis back onto the bed before trudging in after Fay. The moment he stepped inside the closet however, all thoughts about the light switch or a new change of clothes vanished and when the door closed behind him, it stayed closed for a while. If it hadn't been for Paul's ceaseless banging on the living room ceiling, the two of them would not have emerged from their closet sanctuary for quite some time, which would have resulted in them being late, hence having a pissed off David on their cases. And that was something no one wanted. But thanks to Paul, they were able to avoid all that.


	17. Chapter 16

_I remember that the only thing that I wanted to do that night after seeing Dwayne and Paul was sit down and cry my head off, cry until I could not cry anymore. However, thanks to Dwayne I never got the chance. It's a little hard to sob your heart out when you are practically mauling a guy in your closet and vice versa. Everyone always asks me about the strange marks that run down my right and left collar bone and all I can do is simply shrug and blame it on the "car accident" that left me partially immobile. I will tell you all one thing though. Vampire hickeys hurt like hell, but it's a pain that you can't resist. You all know what I mean._

"Can I kill him?" Dwayne asked Fay as he shrugged on his leather jacket, wincing slightly as he did so. He gently lowered the leather onto his left shoulder before zipping the jacket up. With his chest looking like a dominatrix road map, he really didn't feel like parading Fay's tokens of affection to the rest of the world. He's save it for tomorrow night.

"No you cannot." Fay replied as she carefully dabbed antiseptic onto the welts that covered her shoulders. In the heat of the make-out frenzy, Dwayne had gotten a little fang happy and if it hadn't been for Paul's loud interruption, things might have gotten a bit out of hand. "You know Dwayne, you and Paul have got to stop this whole "my club is bigger than your club" thing. It's really starting to get a tab bit tiresome." She said as she reached for her bottle of concealer make-up. Thank the lord for the Avon lady.

"We all know that I have the biggest club." Dwayne stated slyly as he padded up behind her and rested his chin on the top of her head as he brought his arms around her waist, holding her close.

"Ass." Fay said as she glanced at into the mirror, seeing only her reflection staring back at the two of them.

"And you love it." He growled softly as he lowered his head, whispering quietly in her ear. Fay couldn't suppress the involuntary shudder that ran through her even if she tried. It always happened when he did that.

"Says you." Fay said as she gently brought back her elbow, jabbing him lightly in the stomach as he started to nuzzle the side of her neck. "Ok boy fangs in." She said when she felt the gentle prick of his fangs on the lower part of her neck, near her already marked collar bone. "What did I tell you about the no fang rule?" She said as she twisted in his grasp, coming around to face him.

"Awww, c'mon Fay. I won't break skin." He said with a slightly dejected look on his vampiric face, hellish yellow eyes gleaming down at her with a light of their own. Fay just arched an eyebrow.

"You take a piece outta me; I'll take a chunk outta you. Remember that." She said, probing his chest with a hooked claw on every second word. Dwayne gave a half growl/half sigh in response as his face morphed back to normal. "Oh cheer up you." Fay said as she dabbed her powder puff on his nose, leaving a streak of alabaster white behind.

"_YO! DWAYNE! FAY! QUIT SCREWIN' AROUND UP THERE! I'M GETTING' HARD ON JUST LISTENIN' TO YOU TWO! WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!" _Paul's voice drifted up through the air vents as he hollered from down in the living room. Fay choked back a bray of laughter as she rested her forehead against Dwayne's chest, shaking in silent mirth. The murderous look that appeared on Dwayne's face was just too much.

"QUIT LISTENIN' THROUGH THE DAMN VENTS YOU ASSHOLE!" Dwayne roared back, his voice filling the entire house. Elvis gave let out a scared mewl as he tried to burrow underneath Fay's pillows, the range of the vampire's voice hurting his sensitive ears.

"_OH YEAH? WELL WHY DON'T YOU COME DOWN HERE AND MAKE ME? HEY FAY! HOW BIG IS DWAYNE'S _CLUB _ANYWAYS? DOES IT DO A TOOTSIE ROLL JUSTICE?" _Paul howled back at the top of his lungs, out-roaring Dwayne.

"Ok, that's it." Dwayne growled as he let Fay go and ran out of the bedroom, slamming into the opposite wall as he took the corner too fast and couldn't stop himself in time. Fay had to clutch onto the edge of the dresser as she laughed her head off, hardly able to breathe. Paul's laughter was instantly cut off with a yelp as Dwayne barreled into the living room and caught the other vampire in an all-out tackle, both of them crashing into the couch. The sounds of their scuffle and a whole slew of swearwords erupted from the living room as Dwayne wrestled Paul to the ground and began to beat the whatnot out of him.

"BOYS! BOYS! IF YOU BREAK ANYTHING I'LL BEAT BOTH YOUR ASSES BLACK AND BLUE!" Fay yelled from her bedroom as she quickly finished applying the rest of the cover-up, hiding the bite marks from view. She hurried over to the closet and grabbed a sweater off a wooden hanger, throwing it on as fast as she could. Having donned a new change of clothes, she was as ready as she'd ever be. All she needed was her cane, which she had in her hand, and her house keys, which were on the kitchen table.

"Figaro, take care of Elvis." Fay said as she hurried out of the bedroom just as the gray tabby came sauntering towards her, a mouthful of long dark hair in his mouth. You got to love payback. Figaro blinked and then growled low in his throat as he spat out the mouthful of Dwayne's hair. Great, he had to baby-sit the twerp. Where's the justice I ask you?

By the time Fay grabbed her keys and entered the living room, Dwayne had Paul on the ground in a nifty arm-lock, forcing Paul to cry uncle. If Paul had needed to breathe, he would have passed out a long time ago.

"Say it." Dwayne growled as he tightened his grip, forcing Paul's right arm further back.

"ARRGH! Never!" Paul replied as he tried to flail out of Dwayne's grasp without getting his arm broken and nearly succeeded in doing so. Dwayne muttered something under his breath as he forced Paul's face into the carpet and climbed on top of him, practically sitting on him.

"Say it!" Dwayne said once more, this time twisting Paul's wrist a little too hard for friendly combat. Paul said something, but his words were muffled by the carpet. Seeing that the two would be at this all night if she didn't do something, Fay just slipped out of the living room and came back in a few moments later, holding a Polaroid camera in her hands.

"Say cheese boys." Fay said as she pressed the flash button and snapped a picture. "This one is going on the wall." She said as she took the instant hard copy in her right hand and waved it around, airing it. Since vampires do not have reflections, Paul and Dwayne did not appear in the shot, but it was the thought that counted.

"God Dwayne, get off! You tryin' to ride me or somethin'?" Paul muttered as he managed to turn his head to the side, only to be greeted with Dwayne's gleaming yellow eyes glaring right at him.

"Say it." Dwayne said for the third time.

"That I'm the queen of the world and that you two think I'm the sexiest thing on two legs. Yes, yes, we already know that Dwayne." Fay said as she put the camera and picture down and walked over to where the two were locked in a stalemate. Grinning, Fay slapped her cane across the moody vampire's butt before heading towards the front hallway. Once she grabbed her coat from the coat hanger by the door, Fay took out her keys and jangled them, getting Paul and Dwayne's attention.

"The first one out the door is the one I'm flying with." She said as she unlocked the door and opened it.

"Fuck this shit." Paul said as he bit down on Dwayne's arm that was wrapped partially around his throat. Dwayne growled as he shoved Paul down before springing off of him. Yet Paul, the crafty one that he is, turned and stuck out his legs, sweeping Dwayne off his feet and onto his ass. "Sucka." Paul laughed as he leapt over Dwayne and threw himself out the front door, following a split second later by Dwayne.

"Oh boy." Fay sighed to herself as she looked upwards for a moment before walking out the front door and closing it behind her. After locking it, she pocketed the keys and carefully made her way down the stairs and over to where Paul was waiting by the streetlamp. He flashed Dwayne a toothy grin, one which was ignored, and wrapped his arm around Fay's shoulders.

"What are we waitin' for? You comin' Dwayne?" Paul asked ever-so-sweetly as he and Fay began to walk up the sidewalk, over to where a high wooden fence offered an alcove of shadow from where they could take off without being spotted by any nosey neighbours. Dwayne glared at Paul as he followed the two, fighting back the urge to grab the other vampire and ram him head first into the fence. Fay, the ever observant one, looked over her shoulder and frowned at Dwayne, shaking her head ever so slightly. She knew that once those two were back at the cave, they'd be at it for the rest of the night and as far as she was concerned, David could deal with it. Right now she just wanted some semblance of order and peace and for these two hormonal leeches to get along, even if it was just for a few minutes. C'mon, is that so much to ask for? I didn't this so.

"Don't do anything stupid Paul." Fay muttered under her breath once they reached the shadows.

"Chill out girl. You're with me on this one-way flight. You got nothin' to worry about." Paul reassured her as he wrapped his arms around her, securing her to his side as Fay tucked the cane under one arm and clung deftly to him.

"Let's just get this over with." She muttered as she squeezed her eyes shut and went rigid when Paul launched himself up into the air. Throughout the entire flight Fay kept her eyes shut as she quietly muttered something repeatedly under her breath, a phrase that neither Paul nor Dwayne could decipher. Dwayne took up the wing man position, keeping just a little ways off to the right from Paul and Fay as he scanned the streets below, making sure that they flew on unseen. After twelve long minutes, the three of them touched down in an empty park, the dim light from the two flickering streetlamps barely illuminating the place.

"Coast is clear." Dwayne said as he scanned the small stretch of greenery for signs of any unwanted company. Paul nodded his head as he gently pried Fay's hands from around his neck, blinking in surprise when she grabbed him around the waist and hugged him, not letting him go.

"It's been forever and a day." She whispered, allowing herself to relax when Paul returned the hug. For the first time that evening he wasn't thinking about how Fay would look in that lacey thong that he had swiped from her dresser. Instead he actually thought of what they had all been missing out on these past two months that Fay was holed up at Saint Mike's and wondered how long it would be before he got to see her again. Max knew that Fay was being released from the hospital sometime during the week and now that she was out, he was going to be breathing down their necks to make sure that they didn't go back on their agreement.

"Paul." Fay said after a few minutes of silence had passed.

"Yeah?" Paul said, coming back to the real world. He looked down at Fay who was just shaking her head slowly. "What?" He asked her, a bit on the confused side.

"My back pockets are not to be used as hand warmers." She reminded him and if it wasn't for the slight twitch of her lips, he knew that he would have been in for one hell of a beating.

"Funny how I always forget about that." He murmured quietly as he looked over at Dwayne out of the corner of his eye. He thanked his lucky stars that Dwayne was busy rolling joints on one of the park's vandalized wooden picnic tables and hadn't seen a thing.

"You tend to forget about a lot of things I tell you." She whispered back, her clever grin reflecting the mischievous glint in his eyes. "But I won't tell you again mister." She said as she reached behind her and yanked Paul's hands out of the back pockets of her jeans.

"Ah c'mon Fay. Live on the wild side a little." Paul grumbled, toying with the collar of her coat, his fingers working their way down when Fay didn't try to stop him. Before his hands could reach their destination, Fay brought her cane up between them and lightly tapped Paul in the chin with the jaguar handle.

"Honey, I am the wild side and don't you forget it." She said as she stepped away, giving Paul a knowing wink before she made her way over to where Dwayne sat. Paul sighed softly as he ran a hand through his windblown hair, messing it up even more.

"Damn." He muttered quietly under his breath as he started towards the picnic table just as the distant roar of a motorcycle caught his attention. He let out a sharp whistle and raised his hand in greeting when he caught sight of Marko driving towards them, completely ignoring the "No bikes/motorcycle" sign that was planted at the park's entrance.

"Yo dude! What took you so long? We were goin' old waitin' for you to show. Where's David?" Paul asked as he sauntered over to Marko just as the guy came to a stop, but kept the motor running. Marko grinned and ducked to the side causing Paul's playful jab to miss his shoulder completely.

"Nice to see your ugly face again Paul. Like I wasn't scarred for life the last time I laid eyes on you." Marko smirked as he punched Paul in the ribs just as his friend leaned over and grabbed him in a headlock, nearly dragging him off his bike. "Hey, hey! The hair man, easy on the hair." Marko said as the two continued to fool around like the pair of goofs they sometimes were.

"Marko! I fly all this way and I don't even get a hello from you? Paul, let him go." Fay nearly shrieked as she hurried over as fast as possible. When Paul finally let his buddy go, Marko shifted on his motorcycle to greet Fay, but all he could manage was half a hello before she grabbed him in a bear hug, practically smothering the poor guy half to death.

"Hey Fa…oof!" Marko wheezed as Fay's iron grip descended onto his neck and shoulders, making him feel as if he were trapped in the coils of a hungry boa constrictor.

"Oh I've missed you so much. You don't know how much I missed you." Fay trilled as she pulled back for a minute to smother him in a storm of kisses.

"Fay I…" Marko managed before Fay yanked him forward into another deadly hug, almost hauling him off his bike.

"Where have you been? Why didn't you come with Paul and Dwayne? Is everything alright? Are you ok? Did you feed yet? You look a little pale. You didn't run into Max did you?" Fay jabbered, her tongue going about a hundred miles an hour as she placed a hand under Marko's chin, looking at him this way and that, making sure that he didn't have a scratch on him.

"Whoa, Fay! Take it easy girl. You're smotherin' the poor guy." Paul interjected on his friend's behalf as he moved around the bike and separated the two before Fay could go a-wall and start combing Marko's hair or something. They all knew that Fay babied Marko but this was a bit much.

"I know…I'm sorry…it's just…that…ohhhhh!" Fay sniffed before she buried her face in her hands and started to sob out loud for the second time that evening.

"Ahhhh…..it's great to see you too Fay, but I'm not dead girl. I mean, not _that_ kind of dead." Marko said with a weak smile as he cracked the kink in his neck and watched Fay in alarm. Ok he expected a few tears because Fay was a girl and all girls tend to get a little too over-emotional about these kinds of things, but Fay was crying as if someone had just shot Figaro or something. He looked over at Paul for help, but Paul was already on it.

"Dwayne! Little help here." Paul called out as he unearthed a tissue from one of his pockets. Back at Fay's house he had pocketed a handful of Kleenex figuring that they would come in handy later. Maybe some of Fay's psychic ingenuity was starting to rub off on him, who knows?

"Sorry. Gah, this is embarrassing." Fay muttered as she took the tissue and mopped up the flood of tears, trying her best to compose herself without causing a scene. "It's the meds I'm taking…I'm out of whack and I have…a really bad habit of…of…crying at the drop of a hat." She sniffed as Paul handed her another Kleenex, the first one already reduced to a shredded mess of wet tissue. "Sorry." She sniffled, giving them an apologetic.

"Well at least you're not going into a cooking frenzy. I don't think I can stomach ten pounds of homemade linguini. Crazy Italians." Dwayne drawled as he walked towards them, slowly exhaling a cloud of smoke as he took another long drag on the freshly rolled joint that he held in his hand.

"You love my linguini." Fay muttered as she brushed the back of her hand across her eyes. Dwayne just shrugged casually as he handed her the joint, which she readily accepted without another word. After taking a hit, she passed it on to Paul as she slowly started to relax.

"Hey, no harm done." Marko grinned as he adjusted his jacket before taking the joint that Paul handed to him.

"Care to tell us why you're riding solo?" Dwayne asked Marko once the crisis of Fay's uncontrollable weeping had passed. He passed the joint onto Fay when Marko handed it to him, knowing that getting her high was probably the best thing to do at the moment, least she spaz out when they broke the news to her about adding another member to the small group.

"David wants us all to meet him down at the pier." Marko said as he tossed a handful of stray curls over his shoulder, playing it cool.

"And dare I ask why he couldn't just meet us here, seeing that we are all here already?" Fay asked, a slight edge creeping into her voice. Paul grinned as he held up his hand, refusing the joint. Well at least they knew that whatever horse tranquilizers that Fay was taking weren't altering her personality too much.

"Because it's David." Marko replied with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "_And Star ran off again._" Marko said mentally, Dwayne and Paul glancing at each other with knowing looks, they had figured as much. This was now the fourth time in two weeks that David's new possession had tried to cut and run and they knew that when David got a hold of her, he was not going to be happy.

"Heaven forbid that that guy should lift a finger for anyone but himself." Fay muttered under her breath as she took one last drag on the joint and flicked away the smoldering end. "Well let's not keep _David_ waiting, least he has a hissy fit and does something incredibly stupid." Fay muttered as she retied her hair and slowly swung one leg over the back of Marko's bike, wedging her cane between Marko's back and her chest. She winced slightly when she bent her left leg, a twinge of pain flaring up in her knee but one that she didn't let stop her. She'd probably pay for it tomorrow morning, but right now she was going be with the boys and she really preferred riding on one of these death contraptions rather than flying all the way to the beach. When Dwayne and Paul stepped foreword to help her, Fay hissed quietly under her breath, just loud enough to let them know that she could do it herself.

"I'm the one who fusses over you, not the other way around." She said to the three of them as she wrapped her arms around Marko's midriff, securing herself to the motorcycle and its driver.

"If you say so." Paul said as he rolled his eyes and took off with a loud whoop, skimming over their heads before shooting upwards in a blur of motion. Dwayne lazily winked at Fay before he followed Paul, vanishing in a flurry of wind. Seconds later a sharp cry and a snarled "fuck off!" from Paul were heard above them and Marko snorted as he listened to the aerial battle taking place.

"Please go the speed limit." Fay begged Marko as he revved the engine and turned the bike around, looking over his shoulder once before tearing out of the park, Fay swearing fluently in Italian as they headed for the pier.

* * *

As a safety precaution, Marko kept clear of the Boardwalk and took the long way around. They made it to the pier in less than forty-five minutes, at only 10 kilometers above the speed limit. As Marko wove his way through the maze of stout wooden support beams that kept the rickety pier standing, Fay noticed that the usual number of party-goers and bonfires wasn't as extensive as it usually was. Once they made it past the pier, Marko cut his speed and slowed to a stop just outside the ring of light that was given off by the small bonfire that Paul and Dwayne had made as they waited for Marko and Fay to arrive. However, there was no sign of David.

"He's not here yet? I swear that guy would be late for his own funeral…if he ever had one." Fay muttered to Marko as he helped her to dismount the bike. The young vampire smirked as Fay gave him a knowing look and dropped the kickstand, letting his bike lean slightly to one side as he climbed off it.

"What's your poison Fay?" Paul asked her as he help up two bottles, one filled with an amber liquid while the other was clear. Fay gave the bottles a dejected look as she hobbled her way over to where the two vampires lay sprawled on the pale sand, soaking up the heat from the flickering fire.

"If I down even a mouthful off that stuff, one of you is going to be preaching to the choir what a great person I was." She sighed as she slowly sunk to her knees and then sat down between Paul and Dwayne, laying the cane down beside her. "Can't drink alcohol while I'm downing three pills ever eight hours." She explained as she took the bottle of Jack Daniels from Paul and handed it over to Marko, who was walking behind them in order to plunk down on Dwayne's other side.

"That seriously bites." Marko said as he took a swing from the bottle, sputtering slightly as some of the fiery fluid went down the wrong way.

"Tell me about it." She said as she stared at the bottle of vodka that Paul was nursing, eyeing it with longing.

"Well those quack doctors never said anything about you not getting stoned." Dwayne murmured as he unearthed another joint from an inner coat pocket and handed it to Fay a flick of his wrist. Fay looked at the joint for a minute, weighing the good and bad options of smoking up another joint.

"What the hell. Light me up." She said, throwing the consequences to the wind. Fuck it all. If she couldn't get drunk, she was going to get stoned. One way or the other she was going to get thoroughly wasted tonight and enjoy doing it too.

"Grazi." She said when Dwayne handed her the lit joint. As she raised it to her lips, something on Dwayne's jacket caught her attention. "What's this?" Fay asked as she fingered the large, snarling spotted leopard that was clawing its way up the right sleeve of the leather jacket. She took a hit as she admired the fine detail in the firelight, noticing it for the first time. This thing was no cheap iron on but painstakingly hand-stitched into the tough leather. The fierce cat's beaded eye glinted as Dwayne shifted his arm, letting her see all of it.

"Didn't think that Sylvester the cat was good enough. You honestly don't look like someone who would get beaten up by a big-headed canary." Dwayne explained, watching Fay's face as she came to comprehend the deeper meaning behind the patch. A slow smile made its way onto her face as she took another hit, staring intently at the leopard as the shadows cast by the fire made it appear as if it were moving.

"It looks good." She said quietly, raising her eyes to stare into his, letting him know how much that simple gesture meant to her without saying a single word.

"You're not gonna start cryin' again are you?" Paul spoke up, instantly destroying the mood as he took a hearty swing of vodka. Both Fay and Dwayne blinked in unison as they turned to glower at Paul, who was oblivious to what had just taken place.

"Ow!" Paul exclaimed as Fay smacked him upside the head with her free hand. "What? Is it illegal for a guy to try to make conversation all of a sudden?" He growled as he raised the bottle to his lips once more, ignoring Marko who was laughing quietly to himself.

"With you Paul, I wouldn't be surprised." A quiet voice said as Paul suddenly found himself holding air instead of the vodka bottle. He blinked in surprise before looking up to see David standing above him holding the bottle, his blue eyes glinting softly in the firelight.

"Well look what the cat dragged in. Long time no see David." Fay said as she turned her head to the side, looking up at David from the corner of her right eye as she took one more hit before handing David the joint. David looked down at her with a mild look of amusement on his face as he waited a moment before accepting the joint. Marko thought he was seeing things, but it was true, Fay actually gave David the joint without offering death threats or voodoo curses.

"Glad to see you up and about." David replied as he took a drag on the joint and slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke, half-closing his eyes as the plant's narcotic properties tickled his senses.

"Sure you are." Fay grinned lazily as she rested her head against Dwayne's shoulder, never taking her eyes off of the former head vampire. The corner of David's lips twitched as he chuckled and drained most of the bottle's contents in a single go, leaving about an inch of vodka before handing the bottle back to Paul. "So, why the whole switcheroo?" She asked him as he stalked past her. Marko rose to a crouch, letting David take his spot beside Dwayne before he scuttled over to Paul and sunk down into the sand beside his best friend. After the whole musical chairs escapade was finished, the five of them sat in the soft glow of the firelight, listening to the surf crash upon the sand as tree sap hissed and popped in the heat of the flames.

"_So is he gonna tell her?_" Paul asked mentally to Dwayne and Marko, keeping his eyes locked onto the glowing embers in front of him.

"_Beats_ _me._" Marko replied as he busied himself with the whiskey bottle.

"_Will you two shut up?_" David's voice growled as he interjected their mental conversation, his face never betraying what was going on in his head.

"Sorry." Paul muttered under his breath as he eyed the vodka bottle for a minute and had to reach behind David in order to give it to Dwayne.

"What?' Fay asked, snapping out of the momentary daydream that she had sunken into. Man, the reefer was some pretty good shit as they say.

"Huh?" Paul said, acting confused while David frowned ever so slightly.

"Never mind Paul." She said as she stretched her arms out in front of her and let them drop into the sand. "So what's been going on while I was MIA?" She asked, hoping to get some answers from the four. She could sense that they were hiding something and she figured that it had something to do with Max. Everything these days had to do with that damn vampire.

"We discovered that Max loathes Twisted Sister." Marko said as he capped the bottle and stuck it into the sand beside him. "So every time he comes by the cave, guess what we listen to." He grinned, turning to give Fay a conspiring wink.

"Ah. So if you four started dressing in drag and singing off key, do you think that'll piss him off royally?" She asked them innocently, looking from one to the other to see their reactions. Marko blinked while David just gave her a strange look.

"Well, we all know that Paul already has his outfit." Dwayne snickered as he shot Paul a devious smile, twirling his forefinger in the air just as Paul had done when he gloated over his successful snatch and grab of Fay's personal belongings.

"What?" David asked, watching Paul as his face slowly reddened.

"It's nothing David." Fay said quickly, hoping to put an end to the stirrings of another wrestle mania between the two vampires.

"You know Paul, black lace really makes the colour of your eyes stand out." Dwayne said casually as he brought the vodka bottle to his lips and downed the last of it. He tossed the bottle away as Paul's eyes narrowed into slits, looking like a pissed off rattler that was ready to strike.

"Oh really? And how would you know?" Paul asked his voice low and dangerous.

"Your boyfriend told me." Dwayne sneered, his toothy grin reflecting the firelight, making him look partially subhuman right then. Fay screeched as Paul threw himself on the two of them, taking a swipe at Dwayne's head with his nails as he let out a full-frontal vampiric snarl. Dwayne was pinned to the ground while Fay was pinned on top of him as Paul tried to get at Dwayne without accidentally taking off Fay's head in the process.

"Dwayne! Paul! Cool it guys! For Pete's sake! Cripple in the middle here!" Fay yelled, her voice muffled by Paul's tailed coat. Having had just about enough of their male pig-headed antics, Fay brought up her right hand and Paul was pushed backwards onto Marko as she summoned up the strange invisible force that seemed kick in whenever she found herself to be in situations that could potentially lead to serious bodily harm. She could have sent Paul flying halfway across the beach, but instead she took pity on the guy. She grabbed her cane that was lying half under her and brought it up, smacking Dwayne neatly between the eyes as she did so.

"Will you two stop?" She asked, glaring at the troublesome pair with a "try it again and see what happens" look. "And plus, black lace isn't all that it's cracked up to be. You should see me in leopard print. And I wouldn't talk Dwayne. If I remember correctly, you look pretty damn sexy in those leather tights and dog collar." She said as she pulled the hair tie out of her hair and gathered it back before tying it up again. Her last sentence seemed to diffuse the situation in a heartbeat.

"What dog collar?" David asked as he looked at Dwayne a small smile on his lips. It seems Dwayne didn't tell them everything about what went on that night he had stayed over Fay's.

"Dwayne wore tights? HA!" Paul cackled loving the fact that he now had something he could use to hang over Dwayne's head every time the guy tried to provoke him. Marko had to turn away so that Dwayne wouldn't see him snicker least he be the new target for Dwayne's ceaseless anger.

"Oh calm down Dwayne. You did look damn well hot in that get-up. Plus, I love a man in leather and you are defiantly a man that wears leather as a second skin." She purred coyly as her free hand found its way under his jacket, her nails toying his navel as she leaned forward and kissed him on the tip of his nose. "See, no harm done." She said softly, knowing that she had put an end to the situation. Dwayne just cocked an eyebrow but for once he didn't go into himself to brood for days on end. Instead, he just smiled knowing that the joke was on him.

"Whatever." He said as he caught her fiendish hand in his and held her captive.

"Hey! I have an idea." Paul said suddenly, his face split into a huge grin. "Why don't we send Max Fay's lingerie courtesy of the Twisted Sister Fan Club? Can you just imagine the look on his face when he opens the package?" Paul said and for a moment, they each thought about it and before they knew it, they were all lying on their sides, laughing like a couple of demented hyenas.

"Oh lord! I have a few things at home that would make him die of shock! Send him a full dominatrix outfit with an instruction manual. I think he'd kill every postal worker in Santa Carla." Fay hooted as she conjured up a vision of a god smacked Max holding ladies slut wear.

"He would know it was us." David said as he wiped a tear out of the corner of his right eye, his sides actually hurting him from laughing too hard.

"Oh man, but it would be great to see." Marko said once the laughter had subsided into giggles. It would be one of those moments that would be frigging hilarious for fifty years to come.

"If only." Dwayne chuckled as he rose up and tossed a piece of driftwood that he and Paul had collected into the fire to keep it going. Fay just shook her head and sighed happily, reveling in the presence of the boys. After so long it felt glorious to be around them, just chilling out without a momentary care in the world. She knew that it wouldn't last, but she pushed that thought out of her mind as she looked at the four boys, carefully imprinting this moment into her memories. Marko uncapped the bottle of Jack Daniels and passed it around as they fell into a comfortable lull, just sitting there watching the fire burn.

"Who is that?" Fay asked quietly, looking over Marko's head as she peered into the darkness, squinting to see who was hiding among the support beams of the pier. Fay had better night vision then most people, but her eyesight was nowhere near as advanced as a vampires and all David had to do was quickly glance at the pier to find out who was lurking a stones throw away. When he did see the lurker, his eyes went hard and the quiet comradely attitude he had moments before was gone in an instant. He had told her to stay in the cave. What the hell was she doing here?

"Friend of yours?" Fay asked as she watched the figure slowly leave the confines of the wooden beams and carefully make her way towards them, giving them a wide berth. Paul and Marko kept their eyes on the ocean surf while Dwayne's gaze flickered from the girl, to David and then to Fay, not saying a word.

"Something like that." David said as he rose to his feet and stalked away from the fire, heading to intercept Star before she got too close to be seen completely. Fay took note of his stiff posture and knew that something was up.

"Ok boys, spill it. What's going on?" Fay asked the three vampires, looking from one to the other, waiting for someone to let the cat out of the bag. No one spoke up. Fay's eyebrows rose when no one offered to shed light on this little mystery and that made her all the more determined to get to the bottom of it all. Curiosity and cats….you think that they would know that to best avoid a tricky situation would be to just tell her outright.

"Dwayne?" She asked him calmly, holding the cane in her lap as she gazed at him steadily, waiting.

"Her name is Star. She just another runaway that hangs around the Boardwalk." He said meeting her gaze head on and never wavering.

"Since when are you guys on speaking terms with the waifs of this place?" She asked, goading another answer out of the silent trio. When no one spoke up Fay looked over her shoulder to where David and this mysterious Star stood. They were talking about something but the crash of the waves made it nearly impossible to eavesdrop.

"What? Is she someone's girlfriend? Marko?" She asked playfully, nudging the youngest vampire with the end of her cane. "Paul? Oh come on you guys, unless Dwayne's been chasing skirts behind my back I'm not going to bite anyone's heads off. That's your jobs, not mine." She mused as she waited to see what connection that this Star person had with the boys.

"She's David's." Marko finally said.

"Oh? I see." She said pondering over this new bit of information. "So? Why all the secrecy? What, you guys think that I'd be jealous that the Pratt Prince finally found himself a trophy?" She asked them with a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. Marko and Paul looked at her for a moment, expecting to see horns and flames, but all they saw was Fay smiling.

"Well, you know David. When he finds someone he wants, they don't have a choice not to enter the club. Seeing how you reacted when umm…the last time that happened, we figured that…" Paul explained but Fay cut him off before he could finish.

"You figured that I'd be snorting mad and out to kill David." She finished for him, the smile never leaving her face.

"Yeah, something like that." Marko said with a childish shrug. Fay just shook her head slowly and chuckled under her breath. Ahhh these boys. You never knew what they were about.

"The reason that I acted the way I did was because I cared about you two before you even met David. I was drawn to you and something in my deranged little mind told me that I had to look out for you. So when David decided that he wanted you for his own, well…you could say that I over-reacted slightly." She explained as she ran her hand over the smooth leaping jaguar, rolling the cane up and down her legs.

"Slightly? Fay you nearly tore his face off.' Dwayne spoke up, nudging her with his elbow. Fay just rolled her eyes at the memory of the incident and what the outcome had been.

"Please, that was nothing. You saw what I did to Max." She said quietly as she gave him a small nod. Looking after the boys was what her job was now and nothing was going to change that or stop it. She knew that there would be other vampires joining the group and that she couldn't stop them from bringing more into the fold just as she could not stop them from killing people. She accepted that. And plus they were guys; it was only a matter of time before more females began to show up. But the only thing that mattered to her was these four and that was that.

"Anyways, you guys can sit here for as long as you want. I'm going to check this Star out for myself." She said as she dug her cane into the sand and slowly rose to her feet, using the cane to propel her upwards. Paul tried to stop her, knowing that David was probably extremely ticked off at this point but trying to stop Fay from doing something that she wanted to do was like trying to stop the wind of blowing, it ain't happening. So, leaning on her cane for support, Fay made her way towards David and Star, slowly approaching from the right, eavesdropping as she went.

"This is the last time Star. I will not have you disobeying my orders at every turn. You try something like this again and I can assure you that you won't like the consequences." David growled softly, his voice as cold as frozen steel. Star took a step back but she didn't flee off into the night as one would expect her to. A lithe figure with a mane of dark curly hair and large, terrified doe eyes, she resembled a porcelain gypsy doll Fay had once come across in an antique store. And yet she stood her ground against David, which was admirable if not foolhardy.

"I wasn't going to run away David. Do you think that I would be here if I was?" Star replied, clutching her shawl tighter to her shoulders as the night wind pick up slightly.

"Then what are you doing here? I told you that you were not to leave the cave." David snapped, nothing giving her a moment to think up an excuse as he drove the answer out of her. The only thing that saved the girl from David's barely leashed fury was the sudden appearance of Fay.

"I was…I was…"Star stammered as she looked over David's shoulder and spotted Fay standing there a bit off to the side, waiting. David saw Star's eyes widen slightly and he turned around to see Fay peering over at the two of them in the near darkness.

"What do you want?" David questioned Fay, the tone of his voice clearly telling Fay that he wasn't at all happy with the interruption. However, Fay just gave him a quizzled look before walking forward, ignoring the dangerous look he sent her way.

"To introduce myself to your friend David. After all, it's only the polite thing to do." Fay said calmly, giving Star a gentle smile as she held out her hand to the girl. "Name's Fay Prima and you are?" She asked, allowing Star to have the opportunity to introduce herself and buying the girl some time.

"Star." She said quietly as she timidly reached out and shook Fay's hand.

_Now this is where things get confusing. I'll admit that I never saw it coming but sometimes these things tend to work on their own premise. If I had known ahead of time what I was about to figure out right then, I think that I could have prevented a lot of the chaos and deaths that happened later on. Seeing into the future isn't as easy as gazing into a crystal ball or reading tarot cards, not for something like this. This was one of those times when you needed a catalyst to set everything into motion and it just so happened that Star was that catalyst. As much as I'd like to save my fellow man and give people a second chance, I should have run that girl through with my sword before I even opened my mouth. If only I had known. _

"Star? Now that's not a name you hear…" Fay said as their hands touched. Fay's words died in her mouth as she suddenly went rigid, her fingers clamping onto Star's outstretched hand like the teeth of a bear trap. It looked like Fay was been electrocuted, unable to move as she hung onto Star with a grip that wasn't human. Fay's eyes went huge as she stared at Star with her mouth still hanging open, as if she were about to finish the sentence. In her mind images flashed like bolts of lightning, flickering back and forth as the meaning of each and every one of them hit her over and over again, stunning the witch into a shocked state. Her boys…she could see them all…dead…they were dead….dead and this girl was in the middle of it all. Confusion, unfamiliar faces, despair…there was so much of it. There was too much…too much! NO!

"_NO_!" Fay screamed as Star screamed in fear, Fay's death grip on her hand nearly breaking it. Fay didn't let go, couldn't let go and as long as she held the connection with Star, the images kept flooding into her, nearly driving her mad.

"What the?" Dwayne barked as he leapt to his feet when he heard the screams. Paul and Marko were up in a flash as they ran pell-mell towards the two girls. David, who had been taken aback by the entire thing leapt into action when he realized that Fay could not let go of Star's hand. Just as his gloved hand touched Fay's wrist, the connection broke and both girls went stumbling back, Star tripping over her skirt and falling into the sand while Dwayne caught Fay before she could land on her back.

"What's going on? What happened?" Paul asked as he skidded to a halt, looking from Star, who was sobbing and clutching her hand to her chest and then over to Fay was hyperventilating in Dwayne's arms.

"How the fuck should I know!" David snapped as he went to Star and helped her to her feet. Instantly she latched onto David, trembling like a scared rabbit as she buried her face in his jacket. David instantly put his arm around her shoulders, holding her while Dwayne slowly lowered Fay down onto the sand, trying to get her breathing under control. Marko swallowed as he looked to David who was just as confused as he was. What the hell was going on?

"Fay, Fay look at me. Breathe Fay, you gotta breathe Fay." Dwayne said as he cradled her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. It took a few moments but when Fay realized that it was Dwayne who was holding her, her breathing slowed down, the short, shallow gasps panning out to the point that she could get enough air into her lungs to actually speak.

"David…" Fay wheezed as she clung onto Dwayne's arm, both sets of claws digging into him. They had morphed on their own and Dwayne could only grit his teeth as they latch into his left arm without Fay realizing it.

"What happened Fay?" David said cautiously as he took a step forward. Star, however, dug her heels into the sand and refused to budge. Whatever the heck was wrong with that girl Star couldn't care less. She had scared her like nothing before and she didn't want to get any closer to her. David looked at her, shaking in fear, and then over at Fay quickly making a decision.

"Marko, Paul. Take Star back to the cave and stay with her. I don't want to hear it, just do it!" David snarled when Paul tried to protest. The two knew that David's word was final and unable to do anything else, they did what they were told.

"David!" Fay gasped again, this time with more urgency. David regretfully untangled himself from Star, ignoring her cry of protest as he went over to Fay. She was still clinging to Dwayne but it was more to help her stand upright than anything else. Her legs were shaking so bad she didn't think that she could stay upright her own, cane or no cane. As David approached Fay speared him with a look that sent chills running down his spine. She was scared, beyond scared. She had the look of a cornered animal that knew it didn't have a hope in hell of seeing one more sunrise.

"What is it Fay? What happened?" He said softly, slowly approaching her was one would approach a terrified animal as Marko, Paul and Star looked on.

"It's the girl." Fay said, swallowing hard before she could continue. "It's her."

"What about her Fay?" David asked quietly, looking over at Dwayne. All his right hand man could do was shake his head. He was about as clueless as the rest of them at the moment.

"Get rid of her." Fay hissed between her teeth with what only can be described as the wildcat stare appearing on her face. Eyes as wide as saucers, unblinking in warning, ears pressed back, body rigid and arms tense, Fay looked like she was about to launch herself at David if he got any closer.

"What?" David said, instantly going onto the defense, regarding Fay out of slightly narrowed eyes.

"You have to get rid of her. Kill her. You must. You have to or else you're all dead. She'll kill you all if you don't get rid of her now!" Fay hissed viciously, looking around and seeing things that the others couldn't. The images still played in her mind and she knew that she had to stop them from happening. She didn't have a choice.

"Fay what are you saying? Kill Star? Why?" Dwayne asked her but she just shook her head and released her grip on his arm, leaning against her cane to stay upright.

"What are you going on about Fay?" David asked tensely, staring at her with those cold, blue eyes, suspicion etched into face. "Why should I kill her?" He looked over his shoulder to where Star and the others were standing, listening in stunned silence. Star turned her gaze on David, her eyes beseeching and scared as Fay kept on insisting that they kill her.

"It's either her or you David." Fay answered as she breathed deeply and straightened out, the hunted animal look still clearly visible in her eyes. "I've seen your deaths and they all stem from her. She'll pierce your heart David and you'll die, as will Dwayne, and Paul and Marko. If she stays, you're all dead men. Get rid of her while you still can." She pleaded, looking at David, almost begging him to not question her about this. How do you explain to a bunch of the undead that you have just foreseen their ultimate demise and get them to actually believe it?

"Sure Fay, I'll do that." David replied with a small nod of his head. He didn't know what to believe. One part of him grudgedly believed her while the other part pinned her hallucinations on a mixture of stress, drugs and anti-depressant medication. Could this act just be a ploy to prevent Star from joining their ranks? Or was Fay trying to play her little mind games with him in order to get back at him for what Max had done to her? He honestly didn't know.

"David?" Star trembled as she looked from him to Fay, knowing that her life was hanging in the balance. No one moved or said a word while they all waited to see what David would do. The ball was in his court and he could either stop the game or continue to play it, it was up to him.

'What the _fuck_ am I going to do now?" David thought to himself as he began to doubt his own good judgment and instincts. For that one moment, he was just as lost as the rest of them.

_And that is what it means to be a Lost Boy. None of that Peter Pan and Neverland nonsense that everyone always compares them to. You have to be lost in life in order to be one of the Lost ones, the uncertain, the unknown, the unsure. David's moment of doubt was going to cost us all later on, but you cannot blame him for what happened. He was the leader of the Lost Boys, the one everyone looked to to make the final decision but sometimes even a leader doesn't know what to think or do. That's just the way things are. _

"Ah, David?" Paul spoke up as he looked about him, sensing something that didn't seem right. David turned his head to the side to regard Paul and as he did so, he too picked up on what was bothering the other vampire.

"It's him." Dwayne said softly as he frowned, feeling the head vampire's presence nearby and resisted the subconscious urge to respond to Max's silent call. The other three were doing the same as they moved about, suddenly restless and agitated. Even David looked edgy, the uncertainty in his eyes vanishing as cold resolve took its place.

"He's not supposed to be back until tomorrow." Marko said uneasily, glancing up at the sky as he did so. If Max was back this early, god knows if the guy knew what they were up to.

"Plan's changed. Marko, bring Star back to the cave and meet us on the Boardwalk. Paul, you and Dwayne go and meet him, make sure he sees you together. If he asks where I am, you know what to say." David said, quickly putting everything into motion.

"And you?" Dwayne asked as he looked over at David, the dark brooding attitude making its grand appearance once more because he knew that he didn't have a choice but to leave Fay here and had to endure Max's presence once again.

"Getting us an alibi. He'll double check whatever we tell him to make sure that we aren't playing him false." David said as he turned in the direction of the Boardwalk as the call became stronger. "Get moving." He said quietly as he turned and headed off in the opposite direction, ignoring Fay's look of protest as he walked past her. Before she could call out to stop him, he was gone.

"Damn it David." Fay muttered as she turned to tell Dwayne that they could not let her warning go unheeded, but as she did so she realized that she was the only one left on the beach. Seeing this, Fay just shook her head in frustration as she looked down at the cane in her hand, muttering to herself.

"If you won't do it then I will." She said out loud and the muffled crash of the surf was her only response.


	18. Chapter 17

**Greetings all!**

**Finally, I have managed to finish this chapter. I started it four months ago and after ages of procrastination I have finally finished it. I do apologize for any spelling mistakes that are in the story. It's very late and my eyesight is doing some pretty funky stuff at the moment. Anywho, I just want to say MANY THANKS to goldenpeaches, Ghostwriter, Black-Raven3 and you too SummoningDark, whever you've ran off to. As cheesy as it sounds guys, your reviews mean a lot and they are what has given me the drive to finish this bloody chapter. Also a big thank you to you dear reader for reading this story. I really hope you are enjoying it and don't worry, the end is in sight. Three more chapters guys! Woot! Three more and then this story is officially finito! And then I can concentrate on putting my all into another fanfic. (Happy sigh)**

**Well, enough of my yammering. Here's the chapter so get reading!**

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The night was young and already the four boys had gone out do their nightly routine of terrorizing and feeding. Tonight, they had decided against going to the Boardwalk for the soul purpose of avoiding Max and going with Paul's suggestion, had taken themselves over to the downtown district of Santa Carla. With the vast number of homeless, pimps, prostitutes and dope-peddlers, it didn't take the vampires long to sedate their hunger and then some. After surprising and polishing off three acid users, Paul was staggering around higher than a kite, lost in a tripping world of melding colours and warped images. Dwayne had found him speaking prose to a mailbox that he obviously thought was Jim Morrison and it took both himself and Marko to fly the wasted vampire back to the cave, which was no easy task seeing that Paul went spastic when he saw the glittering lights of the Boardwalk. Marko had to smother him with his jacket to keep Paul from giving their position away as they shot over the ever-busy boardwalk. It was David who saved them a lot grief when he dealt Paul a shot to the jaw that temporarily stunned the intoxicated metal-head.

"I swear Marko you are going to have to start watching what he eats from now on because if he pulls another stunt like this, I'll kill him." David swore when they touched down on the fog-shrouded cliff, just a stones' throw from the stairs leading down to the cave. Marko and Dwayne landed simultaneously and the landing seemed to jolt Paul back into consciousness.

"Why is it snowing?" Paul asked groggily as Marko tried to get him to stand upright.

"Shut up Paul." David spat, giving his doped-up fledgling a disgusted glare.

"Yes Sir!" Paul saluted and crumpled into a heap on the ground, giggling for no apparent reason. Dwayne shook his head and muttered something about stoners under his breath.

"Well there's no way in hell that we can go anywhere with him like this. I say we toss him over the cliff and see if that brings him back to his senses." Dwayne suggested as he watched Paul stare at his hand unblinkingly, seeing things that weren't there.

"Lay off him Dwayne. It's not like you've never tripped before." Marko miffed, taking a step to the side as Paul rolled over on his side, humming something that sounded like a heavy metal version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Dwayne just laughed and turned his back to Paul, not bothering to give the guy another thought.

"So what are we going to do about Fay and Star?" Dwayne asked David quietly as the two of them moved off a bit from the other two. David just shook his head slightly and massaged his forehead with his right hand. The little get-together that they had two nights ago had literally blown up in his face and everything that Fay had said then was still echoing in his mind. It wasn't like Fay to go ballistic on someone out-of-the-blue and this was what worried him. The last time he had not heeded the witch's warning; they had all ended up under the yoke of Max's oppression. And now she was going on about Star and up-coming chaos and disaster that would occur if David allowed her to stay. Yet the last thing he wanted to do was to get rid of Star. She was his sole possession and he meant to keep it that way.

"I don't know. What do you think?" He asked Dwayne. Out of the three of them, David valued Dwayne's council above the others. The guy had leadership experience under his belt and despite his recent solitary attitude, all thanks to Max yet again; he had a keen mind for tricky situations. Dwayne didn't reply instantly. He stood there, staring out at the barely distinguishable figure of the old lighthouse, lost in thought. David watched Dwayne but didn't demand a response. Instead his eyes drifted upwards towards the night sky as if the answer to his problems could be found in the distant cosmos.

"I think she's jealous." Dwayne said, running a hand through his hair to move it away from his face. David gave Dwayne a puzzled look, not quite certain that he had heard his right hand clearly.

"Jealous? Fay? Why would she be jealous?" David asked, pondering Dwayne's response. Fay could be a spitfire at times and a cold-blooded Nazi when she wanted to be, but jealous? Somehow that didn't strike David as being true.

"If I know Fay, I bet that she sees Star as a threat." Dwayne began, gathering his thoughts into one clear argument. "Not so much as a lethal opponent like Max, but more of a personal threat. It's a girl thing. Fay considers us personal territory and you bringing another female into the fold, well, sometimes girls can get a bit catty when their territory is crossed. I think she hates the fact that Star is able to be around us twenty-four seven when she sees us, what…once every few weeks if that? We're all that she has left and she's going to fight tooth and claw to make sure that we don't slip away. Plus, bringing Star into the group means that there is the possibility for others. And I don't think Fay likes to share very much." Dwayne said steadily, his eyes still staring off into the distance.

"Now how the hell did you figure that out?" David asked Dwayne, musing over what Dwayne had said. Looking at it from that point of view, David could see why Fay would be up in arms against Star, who by all means couldn't hold a candle to Fay's position in the group. Fay belonged to them all, or rather they all belonged to each other. Star belonged to David and no one else. David had to admit it that yes, Fay was a part of the Lost Boys just as much as he was, despite the fact that Max had usurped her all those months ago. She reminded him of the cat that came back the very next day and just couldn't stay away. No matter what happened, she just kept coming back, again and again, never taking no for an answer.

"Because I've got the claw marks to prove it. She'll deny it if you ask her, but even if what she says about Star is true, or even partially true, jealousy will still play a large part. Girls have an incredible knack for saying one thing and believing something different." Dwayne said with a small smile as he shook his head. Even though the wounds had heeled the next day, his arm was still on the tender side. What a rattler's nest they had stirred up. Trying to figure out a way to get rid of Max without him discovering their intentions was nerve wracking enough, but if Fay started to hang around the Boardwalk more frequently, Max was bound to notice and things could go spinning out of control from there. The only reason that she was still alive was the fact that the boys had "kept their end of the bargain" in Max's eyes and haven't seen or spoken to Fay since their submission. Which was complete bullshit of course, but as long as the deception continued, everyone was happy. Well, almost everyone.

"Hey, you hear that?" Paul said as he rolled onto his back, blinking owlishly up at the sky. As expected, everyone ignored him. "Sounds like cats fighting. Ha aha ha, sounds like a catfight! CATFIGHT! YEAH!" Paul crowed as he accidentally kicked up sand into Marko's face.

"Christ Paul, will you shut up already?" Marko growled as he spat grit out of his mouth and rubbed it out of his eyes.

"Can't! There's a catfight!" Paul cackled as he rolled up to his feet.

"What the hell is he talking about now?" Dwayne asked Marko as he watched Paul totter towards the wooden stairs.

"Something about a catfight. He's just delusional." Marko shrugged as he moved to grab Paul before he accidentally plunged off of the edge of the cliff.

"Figures." Dwayne snorted. Typical Paul. However, David tilted his head to the side and listened intently. Maybe Paul wasn't imagining it after all.

"I think he's right. Listen." David said to Dwayne and Marko as he motioned them to listen with a nod of his head. The three of them put their ears to the wind and listened, ignoring Paul as he began to stagger down the wooden stairs. They kept standing stock still when Paul missed a step and fell head over heels straight down to the bottom of the staircase.

"Sounds like it's coming from the cave." Marko said when he realized that he could no longer see Paul.

"Think you're right little man." Dwayne said, a small frown appearing on his face. This couldn't be good.

"Get Paul Marko." David commanded before he took off. Forget the stairs. If there was a brawl going on in his domain, like hell was he going to walk. Dwayne followed David, leaving Marko alone to pick Paul out of the incoming surf.

"Wazgoinon?" Paul groaned as Marko dragged him out of the shallow water feet first.

"There's a fight so let's get moving you moron." Marko snarled in frustration as he hefted Paul up to his feet and draped his right arm over his shoulders. Paul shook like a dog, sending water flying everywhere as he leaned against Marko for support. At the mention of a fight, his head began to clear and the freezing Pacific waters had sent a jolt through him, waking him up from his drug-induced delirium.

"What in Ozzy's name is goin' on?" Paul asked David when he and Marko finally staggered into the cave. David didn't answer. He didn't have to.

"YOU BITCH!" Shrieked a disheveled Fay just as she threw a dented paint can at Star's head. Star screamed and ducked behind the broken chandelier that was nestled in the fountain.

"Leave me alone!" Star cried as Fay chased her around the fountain, waving her cane in air with one hand as she pelted the girl with miscellaneous objects, screaming all the way. The ring-around-the-rosy routine ended when Fay finally caught up with Star. Both girls tripped over each other and landed in a heap on a bunch of old newspapers. Cloth, hair and bits of newspaper flew every which way as the two of them went at one each other like a pair of deranged alley cats with their tails tied together. It literally was a vicious catfight.

"I warned you, you big haired slut!" Fay hissed venomously as she grabbed a fistful of Star's long hair and yanked. Star screeched and scratched Fay in the face with her nails in retaliation. Fay curled back her lips and yowled before bitch-slapping Star across the face.

"GET OFF OF ME!" Star yelled before she pushed Fay away from her and scrambled to her feet. Fay, due to the fact that her spine was fused to a metal rod, cussed viciously as she slowly worked her way upright. By the time she was on her feet, Star was cowering by the four-poster bed on the other side of the cavern.

"Get back here you whore!" Fay growled as she charged at Star, flushing the girl out of her hiding spot with a few jabs of her cane. The two continued to tear apart the already trashed headquarters as they chased each other back and forth, biting, scratching and kicking in an all out battle of femininity. Anything that could be thrown was thrown and anything that got in the way was demolished.

'I think we should stop them." David said but made no move to join the fray. The three others exchanged a look before looking away in opposite directions. Like hell they were going to put themselves between the two spastic women.

"You first." Paul muttered under his breath. David gave him a scalding look and ducked as a hunk of plaster was accidentally thrown in his direction.

"DAVID! HELP!" Screamed Star as she tried to fend Fay off with a burning stick of wood that she had yanked out of one of the barrels. Fay had backed her into a corner and there was nowhere else to run. Star's eyes went huge when she saw Fay's nails morph into a hooked set of claws.

"Oh shit!" David swore as he threw himself off of the ramp and charged headlong at Fay who had raised her arm back to take a swipe at Star. Star screamed and ducked when Fay's claws went for her throat. The bitch was trying to kill her!

"NO!" David roared as he intercepted the blow, grabbing Fay by her arm and yanked her away from Star. Fay's claws got nothing but air as David spun her around, grabbing her raised arm as well. Fay's eyes flashed as she shrieked cat-like at David who had morphed into his vampire self. David bared his fangs and snarled at her as he forced her back against the wall, pinning her arms above her head.

"_Let go of me_." Fay snarled right back, cat eyes glowing fiercely as she fought to free herself, but David kept her pressed up against the wall as Dwayne and Paul moved in from the sides. When the two of them had gotten a firm hold on the cursing cat woman, David released her and took a step back.

"Easy Fay, calm down!" Dwayne argued, as he had to use his shoulder to keep her from twisting out of his grasp. Despite being overpowered and outnumbered, Fay still struggled to get at Star. Marko had made a beeline for Star when David had fended Fay off, ushering her out of harm's way as the others tried to get Fay under control.

"So help me when I get my hands on you I'll tear your lying eyes out and ram them down your ungrateful throat!" Fay hissed as she glared murder at Star who shrank back into Marko's protecting embrace. The sight of Star seeking comfort from Marko, playing up the whole "innocent" act, nearly set Fay off once more. _How dare she! Oh how dare that little she-devil use her boys like this!_

"You get away from him you viper!" Fay shouted as she redoubled her efforts. There was no stopping her. All she wanted to do was tear that snake in the grass to ribbons and come hell or high water she was going to do it!

David looked over his shoulder, seeing Star shake like a leaf as she buried her face against Marko's shoulder. His eyes narrowed when he heard Fay curse Star and before anyone could react, he wheeled around and slapped Fay so hard that her head snapped back and slammed against the rock wall, instantly plunging the cave into silence.

"_What the fuck is your problem_?" David hissed quietly as he stepped forward, thrusting his face into Fay's. Fay blinked once, holding back the tears of pain that were welling up in her eyes as she tilted her head up and glared at him.

"Why don't you ask _her_?" She hissed back. There was a red mark where David had hit her and it was now starting to smart like hell. The two of them glared at each other and for a few heart-stopping moments, it looked as if David was going to rip out her throat with his teeth.

"Star?" David commanded as he slowly took his eyes away from Fay.

"It wasn't my fault. I swear it wasn't. I didn't know…I didn't know." Star whimpered as she curled up into herself, making herself as small as possible. Her long hair hid the terrified look in her eyes. If David knew what she had done, she wasn't sure that he wouldn't kill her right then and there.

"BULLSHIT! Bull shit you didn't know!" Fay cussed as she spat in Star's direction. That lying minx had known exactly what she was doing, but it seemed to her that she was the only one that could see through Star's act. At Fay's outburst, Star visibly flinched as if she had been struck and kept herself huddled against Marko, who didn't know what else to do. Star was David's girl and he knew that David wasn't going to take what Fay had done lying down. But why would Fay verbally and physically attack David's girlfriend? It didn't make any sense…unless that whole vision thing that Fay had had wasn't complete bullshit like David and Paul said it was.

"If you say one more word I'll kill you." David said softly in Fay's face and by god did he mean it. Fay, Dwayne and Paul stared at David gob smacked, as if they couldn't believe what he had just said. Marko looked at David and then to Fay in alarm, but behind the curtain of her curls, Star smiled a little.

"Star?" Said a small, quiet voice that caught the Lost Boys attention immediately. While the fight had been going on, no one had noticed the tiny figure of a ten-year-old boy curled up in a nook behind the bed. When Fay had walked into the cave, Star had told him to hide but he wasn't fast enough and the vicious woman had caught sight of him just as he wedged himself into his hiding spot. The fighting had started when Fay had caught Star trying to hide the bejeweled bottle that Laddie had gotten a hold of when Star wasn't looking and before Star could begin to explain, Fay had pounced at her screaming blue murder.

Dwayne and Paul looked at each other in utter shock and surprise while Marko just blinked, utterly flabbergasted. What the hell was a kid doing in here? How the hell did the kid even get down here? What the hell was going on? Lucky for them David's mind was as sharp as an ice pick and he put two and two together almost instantly. If he had been a cobra, he would have spread his hood and spat venom when his eyes zeroed in on the pint-sized child that carried an unusual scent to him, a not-quite-human smell that any vampire with half a brain could pick up on. Laddie's eyes went huge when he met David's deadly stare. Maybe it was the mouthful of razor-sharp fangs or maybe it was the demented look in David's eye, but whatever it was Laddie had never been so scared in his life. And he had good reason to because right then, David snapped.

"No David! Don't hurt him!" Star screamed as she wrenched herself away from Marko and sprang away from the couch like a startled deer, running to reach the boy before David did. It was noble of her, but her efforts were in vain because before she even got halfway across the cave David had fallen upon the child like a bird of prey, trapping the kid in his unbreakable grasp. Laddie let out a terrified squeal as David yanked him off his feet and held the ten-year-old at eye level, petrifying the child with a blood-curdling snarl that nearly sent everyone else in the cave running.

"Star!" Laddie yelped as David's fangs flashed in the firelight just as the cave erupted in a hellish cacophony of ear-splitting screams, roars and shrieks. In a blind panic, Laddie instinctively lashed out at David with his leg, ramming his knee into David's demonic face, slamming his mouth shut with a loud snap. The kid could pack quite a kick because David almost bit off his own tongue as his teeth snapped together. David shook his head as a leather clad arm came out of nowhere, forcing David backwards as Dwayne wrapped his arm around the vampire leader's neck, trying to force David to drop the kid while David fought to sink his fangs into the child's neck and rip his throat out.

"He's just a kid David! He's just a kid!" Dwayne yelled as he struggled with David, hanging onto David with everything he had while David bucked and yanked to the side, dragging Dwayne and Laddie with him.

"Get the kid!" Fay shrieked in a vocal range that was borderline banshee and Paul did not have to be told twice. The kid's screams of terror rang through the cave as he found himself in the middle of a savage tug-of –war battle, Dwayne trying to fend David off of him while David just exploded into an unchecked fury, driving the other vampire back under a vicious onslaught after having freed himself from Dwayne's hold by head butting the other vampire. Star was screaming at David to stop as she threw herself onto the enraged vampire, but she didn't last two seconds before she was tossed aside like a discarded rag doll. Marko scrambled to his feet as he and Paul quickly circled the two fighting vampires, waiting for the right moment to jump in and separate them. A roar of pain from Dwayne was the signal and the two blondes torpedoed into the fray, Marko going for the kid as Paul took a blow from David that was aimed to knock Dwayne senseless.

"Stop it! Boys stop it!" Shouted an urgent female voice, whether it was Fay's or Star's it was near impossible to tell above the uproar. Laddie was screaming, David and Dwayne were snarling at each other, Paul was cursing like a drunken sailor, Marko was trying to make himself heard about the others and Star was quietly crying as she watched the four boys duke it out on the cave floor. Fay hadn't moved from where she stood as she watched the entire thing take place, not knowing what to do. When she saw Marko crawl out from underneath Dwayne and David with Laddie safely tucked under one arm, she knew that she had to act fast or one of the boys was going to end up seriously injured or most likely dead. David's ferocity had shocked her to the core. Since when did he get to be this strong? She had seen him fight but this…this was nuts. How the child had managed to trigger David's rage was beyond her but right now she had to worry about preventing the berserk vampire from biting Dwayne's head off, something that he was nearly succeeding in doing despite Paul's best efforts.

"Oh Laddie, are you ok!" Star said breathlessly when she took the young boy off of Marko and hugged him to her, checking him over to make sure he was ok. The poor kid was too scared to reply as he hid behind her and buried himself into the protection of her gypsy skirt, trembling like a frightened animal.

"David…stop…it…" Paul gasped as he pried David's claws from his throat, deep scratch marks appearing on his pale throat, deep enough to draw blood but not sever any major veins or the like. David's lion-like growl was answered with an equally brutish snarl of warning from Dwayne as he picked himself up off the ground and bulldozed his way into the two others, his teeth striking flesh as he snapped at David's face like a wolf, his jaws latching onto the side of David's lower jaw and when he had a solid enough grip, Dwayne shook his head as he delivered a below the belt blow to David's abdomen. David let out a shriek of rage that put Fay's to shame as he released his hold on Paul and turned all of his attention onto the vampire that was chewing on his face. If it had been bad before it was a whole lot uglier now. Paul rolled out of the way just as Dwayne and David crashed into the side of the fountain, landing between the metal arms of the busted chandelier as they ripped into one another like a pair of wild animals, all sense of self-preservation gone. Marko dragged Paul away from the fountain as they both watched awe-struck as the two vampires tore into each other, using their teeth to inflict grievous wounds to exposed and covered flesh. The battle was brief but very bloody and before long it was obvious that Dwayne was going to loose. He gave just as good as he got but David was just too damn strong.

"Oh my god." Star whimpered as she looked away, tears spilling from her eyes as she fell to her knees and hugged Laddie to her, unable to watch David deliver the final strike. It was all her fault, she had caused this and because of her mistake Dwayne was going to die. Marko and Paul looked on in disbelief and anguish, knowing that they could not interfere unless Dwayne called for assistance and right now, he was beyond spoken words.

"Sekhmet give me strength." Fay murmured to herself as she strode forward purposely, eyes closed but head held high and shoulders squared. David's teeth were gripping Dwayne's unprotected throat and he paused for a moment before giving Dwayne the killer bite and just as his fangs began to break skin something solid slammed into the wounded side of his face, strong enough to catch his attention but only just. Fay could have gone at him with a two-by-four and it wouldn't have made a difference. Unless she had super-human strength, which she didn't, any chance of her bodily getting David off of Dwayne at this point was non-existent.

"_Abbastanza._" _Enough._ That one word was enough to freeze David to the spot. No one else had heard it but him and even in this far gone primitive state of mind that he was in, a part of him realized that the voice had come from within. Four sets of claws, two of them in plain view the other two hidden. If he had been expecting it, there was no way that this could have worked, but seeing that all of his attention was focused on killing Dwayne Fay had made the decision to risk it. Knowing that it had worked once all those months ago, Fay was banking on it that her mental prowess would pay off once more and thank the lord and everyone else up there that it did. With Fay's mind latched onto his own, David found himself unable to move a muscle and everyone in the cave held their breath as they waited for either he or Fay to move. When David's mind registered this, the mental walls went up moments later as Fay stared down at him with oddly blank eyes, her cane still held at shoulder level, poised to come slamming down yet again if he managed to break her control. The only thing was this time the hidden sword end was unsheathed and ready.

"_No._" David's mind managed to spit the word out as the world slowly began to come back into focus and the deep haze of red that had impaired his vision was slowly starting to fade away. The muscles in Fay's face twitched slightly as she redoubled her efforts, keeping a firm hold on David's mind, immobilizing the vampire as she slowly lowered her arm and brought the tip of the slender sword to David's mouth, carefully inserting the steel into the space between his molars like a bit, just enough so that she could pry his mouth open even as he fought her. With the pressure of the blade pressing down on his lower jaw, David's mouth slowly opened, releasing his hold on Dwayne's throat. Dwayne coughed raggedly as he swallowed, finally free of David's killer jaws. It had felt as if he had been mauled by a rabid pit bull with jaws of solid steel, that's how strong David's bite was.

A low growl came from David as his eyes narrowed just as Fay relinquished her mental hold on him, allowing him mobility once more. Like a steel trap that had been sprung, David's jaws snapped shut on the sword, his teeth scrapping against the cold metal as Fay wrenched her arm back, yanking the sword out of his mouth as the razored edge bit into the tender flesh of his mouth, slicing open a gash two inches long that ran from the left corner of his mouth up to the middle of his cheek. Star let out a startled gasp as David flung himself away from Fay, screaming out as the stinging pain blossomed into a lance of intense heat as he clutched the side of his face with both hands, covering the wound. Fay watched David with a look of sadness and regret that belonged on the face of a person four times her age as she slowly raised the blade and glanced at the blood soaked tip and then at the slick surface of the steel, taking note that the holy oil on the blade had not dried up yet. The wounds inflicted by the weapon were meant for Max alone but as much as she hated to use the sword on one of the boys, she wasn't going to let Dwayne get slaughtered if she had anything to do with it. David would never forgive her for this but judging on what she had just seen, it looked like David and the others were not going to be around much longer for her to even explain her actions

"What did you do to him!" Star yelled as she brushed passed Fay and ran over to David's side, falling to her knees as she cradled the injured vampire to her, coaxing his bloodied hands away from his face. And surprisingly enough David allowed her to touch him despite the amount of pain he was in. Marko and Paul didn't get any closer as they took everything in, still wary of David and Fay. This was the first time that they had ever seen David loose control completely and need I say it scared them shitless. Paul nearly jumped right out of his skin when he felt someone grab his hand and when he looked down he saw that it was the kid clinging to him, looking about as scared as he was.

"Hey little man." Paul said weakly as he gave the kid a half smile before Star's strangled gasp instantly caught his attention.

"You bitch! How could you?" Star gasped breathlessly as she finally saw the extent of David's wounds. They were not pretty. Holy oil has a nasty habit of eating away at the skin longer than holy water because the oil stays in the wound. It was going to be about two weeks before David went back to looking like his normal, smirking self and from then on, he would always smirk on the left side. Even thought the wound would be completely healed and barely a mark left on his skin, his facial muscles were going to develop an annoying habit of tensing slightly whenever he smiled and hence the origin his infamous trademark.

The look Star gave Fay was shot right back at her, but the intensity was doubled. Injuring David was regrettable, even if Fay butted heads with the guy on a daily basis. But killing Star was not a problem in her books and when Star quickly realized this she instantly averted her eyes off of the witch as Fay wiped the end of her sword along her shirt before sliding it back into the hollow shaft.

"Marko, a little help here." Fay said, unable to bend over to hoist the injured vampire to his feet. Marko kept his distance around Fay as he went over to Dwayne and slung the guy's arm around his neck, helping his to his feet before guiding him over to the partially torn couch. When Dwayne was settled Fay slowly approached David and Star, feeling all eyes watching her every move.

"You keep away from him. Don't you come any closer." Star said, instantly going on the defensive as Fay came closer. Fay couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Star as the girl let go of David and stood up, planting herself between the vampire and the witch. Could this actually be the simpering doe-eyed floozy that Fay had been clawing at only moments ago? In under ten minutes the girl had actually managed to develop a spine. My this night was just full of surprises. Fay just snorted and went to step around her but Star moved with her, blocking her way. Marko chewed nervously on his finger nails as he watched the two girls, knowing full well that the hurricane that had blown into the cave was not yet over.

"Move." Fay said flatly, coming to a standstill, waiting for the girl to get out of her way.

"You stay away from." Star said, not budging an inch even when Fay's eyes narrowed. To her, the cane wielding woman was crazy and dangerous but she wasn't as strong as she appeared to be and like hell was she going to let her hurt David again. "You're nothing but a bully." She said softly with more bravado then she really had at the moment.

"Oh really?" Fay said calmly, eyeing the girl as one would eye an annoying yapping little dog. "Listen girl, hurting David was unintentional and regrettable as much as I hate the guy but separating your head from your shoulders is something that I would do without thinking twice. And don't think I won't." Fay hissed softly, stepping closer so that she and Star were practically standing nose to nose, glaring coldly at one another.

"You wouldn't succeed." David spoke up, his words muffled slightly but clear enough for them all to hear. Fay leaned to the side as she peered over Star's shoulder, watching the vampire slowly get to his feet.

"David if one person is going to die tonight, it's this one here. What do I have to do to make you all realize what idiots you're being? Do you honestly think that I _lied_ about what I said before? The ability to see into the future is something that my family is famous for. Sure not everything comes to pass and things aren't exactly what they seem, but as sure as the metal rode in my back is real, what I saw was the cold hard truth. Why do you have to be so stubborn for?" Fay said as she stepped away from Star as David walked forward. For a moment Star actually thought that she had won one over Fay but when she felt David's presence behind her, she quickly stepped to the side letting David and Fay face one another. David still had a bare hand pressed against the left side of his face and the demonic visage was gone once again, but that didn't make him any less frightening or intimidating. It was the cold edge in his eerie blue eyes that made Fay take another step back out of caution, which was something that she would have never have done on any other given day.

"Leave Fay." Those were his exact words and once they were spoken, Fay knew that she couldn't do anything to change them. She didn't have what it took to fight it out with him right then and they both knew it. The two stared at one another for a while, guarded looks that were near impossible to decipher. By the end of it Fay knew that all she could do was beat a graceful retreat and leave it at that…for now.

"Fine David. I'll leave and I won't come back here, but not until we agree on something." She said with a tired sigh, leaning on her cane as she regarded them all with a worn expression that had not been on her face moments ago. She looked as if she had aged ten years in the time span of ten seconds.

"What?" David asked as Star edged closer to him, wrapping a comforting arm around his as she leaned against him, her soft brown eyes making it clear that Fay was no longer welcomed here. Fay bit back a growl at the girl's actions as she let herself get pushed further away from her adopted family. First Max and now Star. And there Fay stood all alone as she let another edge in to take her place, knowing that she was powerless to stop it from happening. Fay knew that Star's presence here spelled disaster, even if the others refused to believe it. All she could do was step aside and do what she has to do from afar in order to keep the boys safe. After all, that was all that really mattered.

"We work together in order to get rid of him, and once he's gone we settle this for good." She said, settling her cane in front of her as she waited to see what David would say. Dwayne slowly opened his eyes as he realized what Fay was implementing and Marko had to force him to lie back on the couch as he tried to protest against it. Paul swallowed nervously as he looked over at Dwayne and Marko, desperate to do something, anything to make the madness end. But all three of them knew that no matter how much they wanted to speak out against it, they couldn't. This was something between the leaders and when it came to vampire politics, underlings had no say. If you take Max out of the picture it was plain to see where David and Fay stood in the midst of it all. David, being the most powerful vampire and the sire to the others, retrained the dominant, head of the house like figure, or in simpler terms, the father figure. Fay, even though she was not undead, stood that the dominant female position, the mother figure. And now, as you all can see quite clearly, mom and dad were in the midst of getting a divorce.

"Agreed." David replied, nodding his head slightly to seal the deal. And it was done; there was no going back on it now. Once they managed to finally kill Max, Fay and David would face each other and battle it out for the right to lead the Lost Boys. Marko whined softly as Dwayne closed his eyes, his ashen face grim and troubled. Laddie, somehow sensing Paul's sadness, squeezed his hand as he leaned into him, letting Paul ruffle his hair as the vampire looked up at the ceiling, unable to look at the others. Fay closed her eyes for a moment before she too nodded and with that, she turned and began to make her way to the mouth of the cave. She stopped for a moment as her gaze lingered on Marko and she gave him a small smile that he returned. She shook her head ever so slightly when Dwayne met her gaze, knowing full well that he would leave with her if she said the words. If Dwayne even so much as got up off that couch, David would finish him without a second thought. It was best to keep him alive at a distance than dead in her arms.

"_Take care of the child for me."_ Her voice whispered in Dwayne and Paul's head, regarding them both with a pleading look before she began to pick her way up the ramp of compact rubble. From that very night onward Paul and Dwayne, rivals for Fay's affection, would share responsibility for Laddie, taking the half-vampire under their wings just as Fay had asked them to, making sure to keep a watchful eye on the boy while they both taught him how to survive on the wild side. Without looking back, Fay made her way to the top of the ramp and vanished into the dark entrance of the cave, keeping true to her word to never return to it while the others watched on in silence.

_How could I have been so fucking stupid?_


	19. Chapter 18

Greetings all!

Ok, I lied. Now there are three chapters left to this story. This chapter popped into my head when I started writing what will now be called chapter 20 and I could not ignore it. So, I spent a good couple of weeks trying to get this thing written, but due to a severe case of temporary writer's block...let's just say it took me a good long while. Anyways, I want to thank everyone for reviewing, you guys are awesome! So many many many thanks all. (hugs)

Also for this chapter, reader discretion is advised. It involves David and Max and I willtell you that this chapter isn't one about sunshine and roses. It may be hard to read for the younger readers out there, but it had to be written. I know this story has taken a dark turn, but like life, everything isn't as hunky dory as we'd like it to be. But we all know how the story ends...or so you wouldthink. So before things can work themselvesout, theyhave to get worse before they get better. And well, here's rock bottom folks.

Enjoy

* * *

_Ok folks let's take a quick breather shall we? Every time I tell this story I always get tense at this part. They say time heals all wounds, which is true enough, but they don't tell you about what happens to the scars that are left behind. Some disfigure, some are just visible and some flare up now and again like an old complaint, a little reminder of the things that you try to put behind you. And now I'm sounding cliché and if I continue on this train of thought I'll be on the next Oprah show with twenty million stay-at-home moms crying their eyes out. Joy._

_I see that I have some explaining to do before I can go on telling the story. Where to being, let me think. Ok, I'm sure you are all scratching your head as to why I went at Star like a deranged mad woman right? I thought so. Well, as I have told you previously, the vision that I had when I first met the girl was one that centered on her and the boys. I saw their deaths and I saw her smack dab in the middle of it all, along with a few others that I had no idea as to who they were at the time. And I don't know about you, but when I see my lover and those that I consider my best friends slash family deader than doornails, it's safe to say that I would be worried, beyond worried, paranoid and panicky to be exact. So when I walked into the cave that night and saw Star and the kid with the bottle of David's blood, I didn't stand around and wait for an explanation to come my way. Leave it to Paul to leaving it out in the open after using it for a quick fix. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if his brain has sustained permanent damage due to excessive head-banging and drug use. Anyways, I quickly assumed that that no-good, low life tramp had been up to some sort of diabolical scheme to oust me from pack and with me ousted, the boys would be vulnerable and then dead. Images of the boys dead instantly popped into my head and before I even knew it, I was trying to tear her head off of that pretty neck of hers and before I could accomplish that, the boys arrived and David had to come to the rescue. I find the whole "damsel in distress" thing friggin hilarious, especially when you put David in as the knight in shining armor. I mean, c'mon folks, it's David. He'd be the dragon not the knight for heavens sake. _

_Now nothing is ever one hundred percent when it comes to visions and the like and visions are mostly based on interpretation, which makes everything ten times harder than one would think. Now I am lucky enough to have had female ancestors that were quite accomplished in foretelling future events, my mother being one of the best during the previous century. She taught me the how's and why's of divination, oracle readings, interpreting signs and so forth, everything a good psychic needs to know in order to get the job done properly. But there is one major rule that applies to every vision of the foreseeing kind and this one rule is to be extremely careful when trying to decipher and prevent the foreseen future from coming to pass. Ever read Macbeth? Especially the part when the three witches tell him the prophecy about him becoming king and how no man born of a woman could kill him? Well our friend Macbeth took everything a little too literally and thought himself invincible, which was his greatest folly and it ended up costing him his life. This kind of thing always happens when it comes to visions and prophecies and well, I'm only human. I make mistakes just as much as the next person and I blame myself for what happened. I never should have left the cave, I never should have triggered David's anger…I never should have done a lot of things now that I look back on it all. But what's done is done and you cannot change the past. _

_As for David, well that is a different story all-together. I only found out about it years later and when the story was told, it was easy to see why David lost control when he saw Laddie for the first time. I can't blame the guy for what he did; I probably would have done the same thing if I had been in his position. The one that I blame is that bastard Max, may he burn in hell for all of eternity. The thing about _TheLost Boys_ movie is that it doesn't do Max justice. You dislike the guy, even hate him maybe, but not because of what he had done but because you are supposed to be against him. He really does nothing throughout the entire movie until the end when we all get a good look at his true side, the whole oldest, foulest "almighty head vampire" bullshit, but that's really all there is. The movie never tells you just how evil, twisted and sick the guy was; the movie doesn't even come close. When I found out about what went on between Max and David I was speechless for a good long while before I damned him to every foulest place I knew. That mother-fucking son-of-a-bitch and you wonder why David was so uptight and foul…bastard!_

"Well this really sucks ass." Paul grumbled woodenly as he dropped down from the metal rail that served as their perch, providing the four vampires a safe niche where they could hang up-side down as they slept throughout the day. He landed neatly on his bare feet just as Marko swooped down beside him, landing on a dime as he always did, yawning loudly as the blood in his head began to circulate throughout his body. During the day the four of them slept soundlessly, going into a state of pre-hibernation in which nothing short of an atomic blast could rouse them from their state of unconsciousness.

"What does?" Marko asked sleepily as he rubbed his hands over his face, his mind still muffled from the fifteen hour snooze that he had just woken up from. He blinked as Paul gave him a dirty look and it took him a few moments before he realized what his best friend was saying. "Oh yeah. It does." He said nodding in agreement as Paul handed him his boots. He was never an early riser and it always took him a few minutes before his brain kicked in and connected with reality.

"Where's Dwayne?" He asked Paul as he looked up, seeing the crisscrossed metal rails empty and bare of any vampiric life. Paul put on his boots as he nodded to the small opening in the wall and Marko didn't have to strain his ears to hear Dwayne moving about the main cave. It sounded like the guy was personally trying to redecorate the place single-handedly, starting with the rock walls themselves. The events from the previous night weighed heavily on all their minds and the two friends knew that no matter how badly they both hurt on the inside, Dwayne was getting the worst of it. And judging by the sounds that were coming from the cave, he wasn't handling it all too well.

"Do you think we should…?" Marko asked as he quickly yanked on his own footwear as he straightened out his disheveled appearance. Paul ran a hand through his tousled mane as he shook his head. He knew exactly what the guy was going through, but instead of destroying their home base, he was going to take his frustration and anger out on the ignorant party-goers of Santa Carla's Boardwalk. Kill two birds with one stone and plus, ripping people apart was more satisfying then busting your knuckles on solid stone. With that Paul flew out of the sleeping cavern and swooped out of the main cave and off into the night without waiting for Marko. He'd meet up with him later; right now he had a few parties to crash.

Marko flew out of the small cavern as well but landed quietly by the fountain, keeping it between himself and Dwayne as he surveyed the damage. The place had already been trashed from Fay and Star's all-out scratch attack but now it looked like a hurricane had hit it. The only thing that was not destroyed was the huge black and white poster of Jim Morrison and Marko doubted that it would remain in one piece for much longer.

"Dwayne?" Marko called softly as he eyed the dark haired vampire from behind, knowing that it would be extremely stupid to approach the guy. If Dwayne heard him, he didn't show it. He remained where he was, sitting on a rock ledge as he tinkered away at a spare engine, ignoring everyone and everything. When he had awoken, Star had quickly taken herself and Laddie out of the cave and were probably roaming the Boardwalk as far away from Dwayne and the others as they could possibly get. David was nowhere to be seen as well, having been the first to wake he had taken off before the others had even begun to stir. Marko stayed where he was for a minute or so but when Dwayne refused to acknowledge his presence, the youngest vampire just sighed to himself and headed for the mouth of the cave, leaving Dwayne to brood in silence. When Marko left Dwayne lifted his head to stare up at the huge picture of Jim Morrison, not seeing it as he glared at it, both hands clenched on the steel wrench that was instantly bent in half under the strain of the vampire's suppressed rage. Could it get any worse?

_What do you think?_

(Line)

The throaty growl of David's motorcycle was the only sound aside from the constant crash of the seashore that penetrated the still night air as he left the boardwalk behind and headed for Max's place, one of the only houses in Santa Carla that had its own private view of the ocean on a cliff-face. Max's house was in the middle of nowhere and it was as secluded as you could get, the perfect little hide-away for the official leader of the Santa Carla vampires. He had no choice but to show up at Max's place and give the vampire a full explanation of what went on last night. No doubt Max already knew about it, but David had to find out just how much the older vampire knew because if he knew that Fay had been in the middle of it all, they were all dead men. Dreading the confrontation that was about to take place, David slowed the bike when he caught sight of the house around the final bend in the road. David was a lot of things, but he was no coward. He knew exactly what sort of reaction Max would have when he told him about the kid and he knew what would come after that, yet despite it all David growled in defiance.

It had been two months since Max had forced David to bend knee to his superiority and ever since that night he had been living in the proverbial hell, powerless to do anything about it and furious at his own helplessness. Every fiber of David's being willed him to fight Max, to meet him head on and make him pay for the utter humiliation and defeat that he had forced him to suffer through. But he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried or how slyly he went about it; Max was there at every turn, ready and waiting. The gaping wound on his face was nothing compared to what Max dished out whenever he caught David trying to undermine his authority. David could take physical punishment; abuse wasn't anything new to him. In fact it only fed his growing hate and desire to see Max dead, keeping him going when he was on the verge of cracking under the strain.

The thing is Max _knew_ this. Oh he knew it well. The Austrian vampire knew that David would not submit quietly, he figured that out when he fought David months ago. In order to defeat him Max had had to trap him in a situation the resulted in death on both sides. The only problem was that he had trapped the tiger, but not tamed it. David was different. He couldn't just kill the vampire because he knew if he did so he would have the others on him like a pack of mad dogs, not that it mattered but why bother with all the unnecessary hassle? Also the boy had a cunning mind and a cruel intelligence to him, one that matched his own in more ways than one. He would never say it out loud, but in a way David was like the son that Max never had, stubborn, head-strong and fiercely independent. But in order to get the boy to obey him he would have to break him and this was something that he had been vigilantly trying to do for the past two months. David was now close to the edge and they both knew it. All he needed was a final push and Max would be there waiting to claim him.

David paused for a moment before he killed the engine, a frown appearing on his face as he realized that he had stopped himself. Pocketing the keys to the motorcycle David slowly made his way up the lit path, his face a mask of stone even when he heard Max's hellhound announce his presence. David stopped when he was halfway to the front door, standing stock still as Thorn came scrabbling madly around a corner, growling in warning. David knew better than to entice the man-eating mutt so instead of giving the dog a swift kick, he just kept his eyes forward and waited for Max to call the dog off and for once he didn't have to wait long. Light spilled onto the front porch as Max opened the door, the look on his face instantly telling David that Max was already aware of the situation.

"Inside, now." Max said, giving David a look that would have made a lesser vampire quake in fear. David matched the look with one of his own as he stepped past Thorn and walked towards Max, his eyes never wavering until the last possible moment when he had to move past Max who stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. Once the black clad vampire was inside Max turned and literally slammed the door shut, unintentionally locking Thorn outside without even realizing it.

"Do you mind telling me what is going on?" Max asked as he placed a hand on David's arm, stopping the younger vampire in mid-step. David arched an eyebrow as he looked down at Max's hand and then up at Max, not saying a word. Max's eyes narrowed slightly behind his glasses as he pushed David forward, getting him walking once more. The boy was starting to really test his patience and he was getting sick and tired of having to deal with David's presumptuous attitude. After tonight there were going to be some major changes around here that's for sure.

"What do you want to know?" David asked him as they stepped into Max's spacious living room. Everything from the modern art sculptures on the fireplace mantel to the zebra skin rug underneath the glass coffee table gave the feeling of wealth and modernism and it was hard to believe that Max actually lived here. The guy had surprised David with the red corvette, but then again who the hell in their right mind would ever say no to a corvette? David had always figured that Max, being who he was, would be into the whole dark oak paneling, suits of armor, floor to ceiling bookshelves look. Very Victorian. But after taking the grand tour of Max's home it would appear that the Austrian baron was quite up with the times. The guy even owned a Warhol piece that hung in its place of honour in the master bedroom that was never used. Yes, Max was defiantly a well-to-do modern man with everything going for him, or so it would seem. Max's basement however, told a different story. Behind the extensive wine rack was a heavy wooden door that led to a warren of hidden underground rooms and it was here that Max spent most of his time when he wasn't playing the façade of a video-store owner. There was one room down there that David knew quite well, Max's personal little torture chamber. The guy was sicker than a rabid dog and if David had been human, he would have had the scars to prove it.

"Why don't you start by telling me what happened to your face?" Max said as he and David simultaneously moved to sit down on the white leather couches. As they did this, the two locked gazes and the head vampire waited until David stood back up before he sat. Seething inwardly at this small act of submission, David calmly sunk into the comfortable leather when Max gave him a small nod, donning the image of being perfectly at ease.

"Ran into a vampire hunter wannabe last night and got the wrong end of a knife. The boys and I took care of him." David lied smoothly as he slipped off one of his leather gloves and gingerly touched the left side of his face, wincing slightly as he did so. The wound wasn't a pretty sight but it was on the mend and David made a mental note to himself that once Max was destroyed he would repay Fay for her small attempt at a face lift.

"I see. So I'm guessing that is what caused the ruckus at the cave and if that is the case, I suggest that you boys find a new living space. The cave is easy to access and sooner or later you are going to wake up one night to find a stake between your ribs. That is if you even wake up at all." Max said, his eyes never leaving David's face as he spoke. He knew he was right and it bothered David to no end when he brought up the subject of inadequate living conditions. After all, it was the head vampire's duty to find a suitable residence and ensure the safety of his pack members. "You know David my offer is still open if you and the others want to stay here. There is more than enough room for us all."

"Thank you but no. I can assure you that the others and I are quite content with where we are now." David replied, cutting Max off before he could say anything else. He knew better then to disrespect Max so openly but he couldn't help himself. Every time they saw one another, Max always had to bring up the subject. There's only so much a guy can take, vampire or not.

"Suit yourself then." Max said as he rose to his feet, noticing out of the corner of his eye that David was subtly watching his every move. The lad was nervous and Max knew that he was hiding something. He walked over to the glass sideboard and poured himself a glass of brandy from one of the crystal decanters that sat there as he mulled over this information. He knew that David would never willingly admit to what he was hiding and a night spent on beating it out of him wasn't something that he was in the mood for, so Max decided to take a different route and see how far he could go before David caught on.

"You know, I heard that a child went missing yesterday. Vanished right off the Boardwalk without anyone seeing a thing. Strange wouldn't you say?" Max said casually as he lifted the bell shaped glass to his lips and took a sip, his back facing David. The old vampire could practically hear David squirm slightly and Max smiled to himself. So his suspicions had been true about the missing child. Well well, this was interesting.

"Kids go missing all the time. It's just one more missing poster to add on the wall. Santa Carla is covered with them after all." David said, matching Max's casual tone as his eyes darkened slightly, instincts telling him to be on his guard.

"Of course and most of them are the result of your doing. But tell me David," Max said as he turned to face the boy, "you wouldn't have anything to do with the child's disappearance would you?" He asked as he locked eyes with David. Even if he wanted to look away, there was no way that David could have hid anything from Max at that point. When you stand face to face with a dragon, you know that you are going to get scorched.

"Not personally no. But…the kid's with us." David said, gritting his teeth as he spoke every word. Max's face remained expressionless as he drained half the glass, his eyes never leaving David's face for a moment.

"What do you mean with us?" He said quietly as he lowered the glass, swirling the amber contents lazily with his left hand. From an outsider's point-of-view, the two could have been talking about the weather because neither of the vampires seemed to be bothered by the topic of conversation but David knew from experience just how misleading Max's poker face could be.

"What do you think I mean? The kid got a hold of the bottle and drank from it. Do you honestly think that I would purposely cradle-snatch a 10 year old kid just for the hell of it? I'm not as stupid as you think I am Max." David snorted, knowing that Max was going to peg this on him even if he had nothing to do with it. Might as well grab the bull by the horns and get it over with.

"I never thought that you are stupid David. Misguided and too sure of yourself yes, but never stupid." Max said as he drained the rest of the brandy and placed the glass down on the glass service tray behind him. "But what I want to know is that if you didn't take the child, then who did?"

David ground his teeth together as Max waited for a response. What was he going to tell him? That the kid had followed Star all the way to the cave and had found the bottle that Paul had accidentally left lying out in the open? Max would never believe it. David didn't either but when he questioned Star, this was what she had told him. It wasn't a lie, David would have instantly picked up on it if she had tried to tell him anything but the truth, but he knew that there was more to the story then what she professed. Max stood there, leaning slightly against the marble mantle as he watched David closely, waiting to see what the answer would be, true or false.

"It was Star wasn't it?" Max said, speaking the words that were on the tip of David's tongue. David looked sharply at Max, eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion and surprise as Max just smiled softly to himself. "Of course it was. And I'm assuming that she did it to get at you, correct? Women are so predictable David that it's almost sad. However, despite the lack of intelligence that the other boys possess, you and I both know that they know the rules well and know what happens when my rules are broken. No children must ever be turned. Yet it seems that Star does not know this. And that is something that troubles me David. Why doesn't she know? Have you not told her the rules? Are you so lacking in motivation David that you cannot perform the simplest of tasks? Because if that is the case David we are defiantly going to have to do something about it. Is that it? Is that what you want? Look at me when I am talking to you." Max said his voice hard but leveled. At Max's command David turned his head slightly and raised his eyes to look at him, yet despite everything that Max had just said, David remained silent, refusing to say a word.

_Smack!_

The sound of Max's hand striking David's face practically echoed through the room as David doubled over half-blinded in pain. Before David had even known what had happened, Max had crossed the room and dealt him a hefty shot across the left side of his face, right on the wound that Fay had given him.

"Is that what you want David? Do I personally have to motivate you to do what I ask?" Max growled in a low voice as David placed a hand over the wound, blinking back the tears of pain that were pricking the corner of his eyes. No, he could not rise to Max's challenge, it was what he wanted. He was trying to get a reaction out of him, trying to get him to fight back. If David did, he knew he would be finished. No, he could not, _would not_ give into Max. When David didn't reply, Max grabbed him by the long hair of his mullet and forced his head back so that they were eye to eye.

"Is it?" Max growled, the smoky blue of his eyes slowly starting to take on a slight reddish hue. David just gave him an icy look before sneering at him.

"Got to hell." He hissed under his breath and in the next instant he was seeing stars. If Max's could knock the teeth out of a vampire with one blow, imagine what the guy could do with two?

"I've had enough of this." Max snorted as David blinked, his senses disoriented by the haymaker that had temporarily stunned him. He felt Max pick him up off the couch and some small part of his mind that was still functioning screamed at him to do something. If Max was physically carrying him, there was only one answer as to where they were going. Without thinking, David grew out his fangs and sunk his teeth into Max's shoulder blade, biting through fabric and skin as he jerked his head upwards in an attempt to tear a good sized chunk out of the head vampire. Max let out a startled yell and staggered into the corridor wall with David taking most of the impact, seeing that he was slung over Max's shoulder like a sack of grain. Unsheathing his fangs, David clawed at Max's face as he used the wall to propel Max away from him. It would have worked had it not been for Max who went down on his knees and pitched David off his shoulder, sending the rebellious vampire tumbling across the floor. David was the first one up on his feet and he growled in defiance as he stepped back, searching for a way out. Max blocked the corridor that led to the front entrance, so David knew that he had to find a window or some other opening and fast.

"What do you think you are doing David?" Max asked as he rose easily to his feet, rolling his shoulders as he did so to figure out how much damage David had inflicted.

"Stay away from me Max." David bristled as he took another step back, keeping a large gap between the two of them. Instead of snarling in fury, Max just blinked once as he watched David, taking a step forward in order to force David to move back. "I mean it."

"You know that wasn't very nice of you." Max said simply as he took another step forward and then another. "The last time someone pulled a stunt like the one you just did, I ripped his heart out. God what a mess that was. You know I don't take kind to mutiny David. So why don't you just give it up now or are you trying to get yourself killed? Looking for the easy way out again? I thought that you of all people would stick it out to the bitter end." Max said, slowly pecking away at David's composure as the two moved down the hall, one step forward and one step back. There is more than one way to defeat an opponent and by messing with his mind Max was doing just that. If he pushed then David would push back, but if he nudged ever so slightly he might just drive the boy mad.

"This is the bitter end." David growled as the heel of his left boot brushed up against the wall. He didn't dare take his eyes off of the head vampire who paused in the middle of the corridor, less than two meters away from him. With the wall to his back and Max to his front there was no where left to go. "Damn you." He cursed under his breath, glaring darkly at Max.

"So it would seem." Max said softly. Backed into a corner Max had him exactly where he wanted him. "You've fought the good fight for long enough David, let it go. You can't beat me." He shook his head softly as he took off his glasses and slid them into the breast pocket of his high-collared shirt. David just sneered as he shook his head softly from side to side.

"I wouldn't be so sure of myself." David spat as he steeled himself for what was about to come. The gut-wrenching feeling of helplessness reared its ugly head as memories of that night on the beach surfaced in his mind. Over two months ago Max had been a hairsbreadth away from finishing him off for good and now it was happening all over again. This time there wasn't anyone who was suddenly going to spring out of the shadows and come to his rescue. He could make a go at Max, but he knew if he tried that Max would kill him without a second thought. David wanted Max dead, not the other way around. Fear and doubt mingled with anger and determination coursed through him as he balled his fists at his sides, his nails digging into the palm of his hands hard enough to break the skin.

"Fuck you."

_Wham!_

Max didn't even bat an eyelash as he slammed through David's mental barrier with the force of a freight train, shattering the boy's defensive shields like a rock thrown through a glass window. David let out a yell of pain as he staggered back into the wall as his thoughts and senses scattered to the four winds. Max didn't hesitate a moment as he forced his way into David's mind, getting a death grip on his conscience while simultaneously pressing down on his mind as hard as he could before David could attempt to fight back.

"I gave you the chance David, but you always were too stubborn." Max said as he took a step forward, his mental hold increasing as he got closer. David bit back a roar of pain as Max started to tear at his mind, mauling him from the inside. He couldn't do a damn thing, all he could feel was the pain. By the time Max was standing over him David wasn't even aware of him. Max narrowed his eyes slightly as he increased his efforts, forcing David to his knees as entered the boy's unguarded thoughts, calling up suppressed memories of David's past life. David, unable to hardly move much less fight off Max's mental barrage, was forced to witness once more the aspect of himself that he had buried long ago.

"God….no….arrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" David yelled as the image of his father appeared, towering over him as he swore something at him as his mother stood off to the side, drinking herself into oblivion. The image faded and a new one appeared, his father once again looming above him, but this time he had a leather belt coiled around his hand.

"_You lair, you god-damn, shit-disturbing liar! _WHAM.

"_Dad, I didn't…argh! Dad don't!"_

"_My own son. I can't believe it. My own god-damn son. I should have let them take you, you no-good, worthless, lazy, bastard!" _Once, twice, the blows rained down without mercy.

"_Dad it wasn't..."_

"_I'll kill you, you little shit. I'll send you to hell and back. Maybe then you'll learn. Maybe…then…you'll…fucking…learn. I promised them I'd teach you a lesson. And…by…God…I'm…gonna…"_

With each word the blows rained down and Max stood where he was, looking down at David as he watched the boy curl into a protective ball, arms covering his head as the he shuddered and jerked under the imaginary blows, yelping and crying out as the memory began to fade. Max frowned, realizing why David had done everything within his power to get at him. The boy saw him in the same light as he saw his abusive father. This new piece of knowledge didn't shake Max off however. Instead he wrenched out another hidden memory, this one more painful than the last and as he did so David screamed and began to claw at his head, rocking back and forth as Max's mental grip shook him like a rag doll.

"_So what's is gonna be buddy? Huh? You or her?"_

"_David help me! Please don't let him hurt me."_

"_You stay away from her you son-of-a-bitch. YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER!"_

"_Oh yeah? And you'll what? Huh? You'll what? Nobody cares about you David. If you and your fucking sister are found dead in the gutter, no one will care. _

"_David!"_

"_Get your hands off her! I'll kill you. I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"_

"_Yeah, sure you will. Hold the bitch down guys and make sure he sees everything." _

"_DAVID!"_

Like thirty years ago, David again watched helplessly as the greasy haired hood raped his younger sister before his very eyes. He struggled to get to her as her screams rang in his ears, cursing and calling out her name, unable to throw off those that were holding him down. Max took a step back as David flailed about on the floor, completely lost in his own mind. If he continued to torture him like this, he would drive David completely insane but that was something Max was willing to risk. The boy had to be taught a lesson and by god it was going to be a bitter pill to swallow. But even he was not prepared for the next memory that surfaced. It was the memory of the night David died.

"_Holy shit, he's dead. Hank's dead."_

"_Yeah well he had it coming. Everyone knows that you don't piss David off."_

"_Oh yeah? Well Hank ain't the only one dead. David has one foot in the grave already. Lookit him, he's bleedin' like a suck pig."_

"_We gotta help him. David, get up man. C'mon man, get up." _In the distance the sounds of police sirens are heard.

"_Holy shit it's the cops."_

"_C'mon man let's go."_

"_But what about David? We can't leave him here like this."_

"_He was stabbed in the lung; he's a dead man anyways. C'mon, we gotta split before the fuzz get here. C'mon man, he's gonna die and there's nothin' we can do about it. C'mon!"_

"_Shit!"_

As the running footsteps of his friends faded away, Max slowly knelt down beside Davidwith a faint hint of what you could actually call pity on his face. Abused by his father, abandoned by his friends and forced to witness the violation of his own sister all over again, David was curled up into a fetal position, his mind laid naked under Max's scrutiny.

"It hurts doesn't it?" Max said softly as he gently laid a hand on David's shoulder. Upon contact David whimpered and shrunk away from Max's touch, shaking like a terrified rabbit as he slowly started to come back to reality. He couldn't take it anymore, it had hurt so bad…so bad.

'No more…please." David murmured as he slowly cracked open an eye, his vision burly and unfocused. His head felt as if a red hot spoke had been driven deep within his mind and moved around, stirring up things that should never have been remembered. Max looked at him with an unreadable expression on his face as David lay beside him, unarmed and unable to defend himself.

"Then tell me who gave you that wound. It wasn't a vampire hunter was it? You lied to me, didn't you David?" Max asked softly, leaning forward so that he could get a good look at David's face. David shook violently as Max got closer but there was nothing he could do. Nothing.

"It…was…" David whispered, nodding his head as he cringed when Max moved one of his arms away from his head. He shut his eyes closed and refused to look at Max, even when he felt Max start to apply more pressure on his mind in an attempt to squeeze the truth from him.

"Who hurt you?" Max asked once more, but this time his words were not so softly spoken. David hissed in pain as Max began to draw forth another unwanted memory, holding David down physically so that he couldn't move at all as the pain in his head began to build up once more. He was in the cave, everything was red. He was fighting someone, and there was screaming in the background. Something hit him in the head as he bit down on his opponent in order to rip his throat open. Someone appeared through all the red and that someone was….

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" David screamed as he threw himself against Max, knocking the head vampire down beside him. Max blinked in surprise but didn't let go of David as he flailed about like a live wire. David's piercing shrieks were making it hard for Max to keep his firm hold on the young vampire's mind and as a result of his momentary blunder the rest of the memory slipped through his fingers so to speak. Eyes flashing in annoyance Max grabbed both of David's arms and pinned him to the floor, his arm across David's throat, holding his head down as he did so.

"Who was it? Who was it!" Max demanded as doubled his efforts to get a hold of the illusive memory. In doing so he was doing more harm to David's mind then before and if he didn't stop now he would essentially end up killing David never mind driving him insane.

"Star! It was Star!" David yelled as Max ripped through his mind in vain. He heard David the second time and when he did, Max instantly released his mental hold on him before he drove him over the edge.

"Was it her? Was she the one who did this?" Max demanded, forcing David to look at him while he slowly slipped in and out of awareness.

"Yes." David murmured before he slid temporarily out of consciousness, Max last attempt at getting the truth having proven too much for him to bear. Max frowned as he let go of David and sat back, massaging his forehead as he carefully analyzed David's answer in his head. The boy wasn't lying but somehow doubt still nagged at the back of his mind. If he pressed David further he might as well just kill him because a mentally unhinged vampire was more of a threat to him then anything else. No, it would be a terrible waste of a good mind. A persistent barking caught Max's attention, snapping out of his thoughts as he realized that Thorn was outside and just short of breaking down the door to get inside. Baring the underside of his wrist, Max bit into it before bringing the wound to David's mouth, forcing his blood down the unconscious vampire's throat in order to revive him.

Allowing David to feed off his own blood enabled Max to form a stronger bond with him, both mentally and physically, which would allow him to exert more control over the vampire and give him the ability to access his thoughts more readily, hence the success of his mental investigation. But at the same time David was also getting stronger, which was why Fay was so taken aback the previous night when David had lost control over himself and attacked Dwayne.

David groaned as he slowly regained consciousness, the after effects of Max's mind pulling making him feel sicker than a dying dog while a migraine the size of mars made itself known to him.

"Next time when I ask you a question, you tell me the answer right away." Max said in a tired voice as he rose to his feet, Thorn's persistent braying wanting immediate attention. David gingerly nodded his head as he rolled onto his side, staying there a moment as he waited for the world to stop spinning.

"Yes…sir." David muttered quietly as he kept his eyes closed, fighting back the wave of nausea that swept over him.

"Good, now get up and get the hell out of my house." Max said as he turned and headed towards the front door, leaving David lying where he was on the hard wooden floor. David carefully opened one eye as he watched Max walk away, the fiery orange pigment of his eye slowly fading back to its startling blue. Max had succeeded in breaking David so he didn't see the boy as a threat any longer, turning his back to him as he walked towards the door. But what he didn't see was the small smirk that tugged at the left corner of David's mouth, one that instantly vanished as David cringed in pain when the wound made itself known once more.

Fifteen minutes later David dragged himself off of Max's property, still battered and broken and feeling as if he had been stretched out on a rack. Max watched him as he slunk off and drove away, his face as unreadable as before. Instead of hunkering down in some isolated spot to lick his wounds and his shattered pride, David headed straight for the boardwalk, trying his best to put the throbbing headache out of his mind as best as possible. He had one thing left to do and he was going to do it, even if it killed him.

Pulling up to the nearest phone booth, he dismounted the bike and pulled back the folding glass door even though the booth was already occupied. Without saying a word, he grabbed the guy in the cut-off flannel shirt who was talking to someone named Sally and drained him dry before he could even let out a surprised squawk. Hanging up on Sally, David placed a quarter into the phone and quickly dialed a number he had made sure to memorize before he had left to go see Max. After two tries at getting the right number, he waited but it wasn't until the fifth ring when someone picked up on the other end.

"Hello?" An all too familiar voice said. However, this time David was actually happy to hear it.

"Is the plan ready?" He growled, holding his throbbing head in one hand and the phone in the other.

"Yes. What happened?" Fay asked from the other end, the tone of her voice low and worried. David wanted to laugh.

"Good. It starts tonight." David said before slamming the phone onto the receiver. Without so much as a downward glance, David stepped over the mauled body of his most recent kill and mounted his bike, revving the engine before he peeled away and drove off into the night. He wouldn't go back to the cave for the next two days as he tried to piece together some sort of image of normality. Max may have finally won but like hell was he going to let the others see just what the guy had done to him. He may be beaten but he still had his pride, what was left of it anyways.

_And from that night on, I spent my nights working with David, explaining my plan to him so that he could relay it back to the others and make sure that everything would be ready. It was the first and only time that he and I actually worked alongside one another without trying to bite off each other's heads. I had figured that something had happened between him and Max on the night that he called me, but like I said, only later did I find out what had actually gone on. _


	20. Chapter 19

**Hey guys!**

**Ok, instead of studying for an exam tomorrow I wrote up the chapter. I know I'm bad and am probably going to bomb the exam...but I just couldn't resist! Anyways, I know chapter 19 was a bit on the dark side but not to worry. I'm sure that this chapter will put a smile on your face. Now after you read it grab your copies of the Lost Boys and watch the scene that is described in this chapter. If you don't chuckle out-loud then I know that I'm did something wrong. And as you all know, I do not own the Twisted Sister lyrics. But let me tell you, if only the extra stuff was stuck in the movie I would be head-banging along with those two punks during the concert. **

**Enjoy!**

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**Approximately four months later…**

_Well folks, now we finally come to the part that you have all been waiting patiently for, the beginning of the end. During that last month I focused all my time and energy into perfecting the plan and while I was busy meditating on possible outcomes of our actions, the boys kept a low profile, pacifying Max with their subordinate behavior, lulling him into a false pretense of authority. _

_We all waited with our breaths held for the right moment to set our plan into action. We waited and waited and waited. During this time I kept myself off the Boardwalk and beach all together. It was just too dangerous for me to be seen anywhere near the boys and the last thing we wanted was to jeopardize the plan. Every night the boys made sure to hit the Boardwalk, searching for the key figure to our little scheme and for an entire four months they searched in vain until one night, right around the middle of August, the moment we were waiting for suddenly happened. The Emerson's arrived in Santa Carla. _

It was another hot, sultry night and the Boardwalk was packed with people of all ages, shapes and sizes, enjoying the glorious humidity as they busied themselves with what the Boardwalk had to offer. The tinny music of the antique carousel blared out over the concession stands as people milled about, slowly making their way over to the temporary open stage that had been set up for tonight's performance. Some guy named Tim Cappello was going to be performing, a regular born and raised Santa Carla native who did cover songs as well as his own work. He sang a decent tune and since it was head-banging worthy, the Boardwalk regulars loved it.

Backstage Tim and his band were putting the finishing touches to their performance get-up, having already tuned the instruments and checked over the amps and other equipment. Tim gave himself one final glance in the small mirror that he held, making sure that the chains around his necked were aligned properly and that the long locks of his dirty blonde curls were slicked back just so. The last thing he needed was for his hair to get in the way when he moved about on stage. Winking at himself, he put the mirror down and flexed his right arm, making sure that the soreness was finally gone. Pumping iron before a show wasn't the smartest thing to do, but he had done it anyway. It takes a lot to keep his buff body in top form.

"Yo Tim! There's someone here to see you." One of his band members, the drummer, said from behind as Tim bent over and picked up his alto saxophone, screwing the neck in place.

"Who?" Tim said over his shoulder as he rummaged around through his personal belongings, looking for his reed holder.

"Is that all I get from you? A who? Thanks a lot. Honestly I don't know why I bother sometimes." Said a voice, one that he had not heard for a while on the Boardwalk. Tim turned around and grinned when he saw Fay standing there, leaning casually against her silver and ebony cane, one hand on her hip as always.

"Fay! Where the hell have you been girl? I haven't seen you in months! C'mere." He said and before she could protest, he enveloped her in a one armed bear hug, careful not to squeeze her too hard. He and Fay were old acquaintances and when he heard about what had happened to her almost a year ago, he took it hard. "You're looking good Fay. You always land on your feet, so I shouldn't be surprised eh?"

"Well, nine times out of ten I get the landing right Tim." Fay chuckled as she wiggled out of his hug. The guy was built like a tank and one of his biceps was nearly as large as her thigh. Not that she didn't mind the affection but it was like trying to hug an oiled up Greek athlete and she honestly didn't want to walk around covered in some guy's body oil at the moment. I don't think that Dwayne would be too pleased about it.

"So how's your sister doing?" Fay asked, eyeing the saxophone that appeared almost half its size in his large grasp.

"She's doing good Fay. She misses you at the studio. She says that Alice and Mimi are good but that new teacher they got can't teach for shit." Tim said with an off-handed shrug as he set the saxophone back down on its stand and snatched up the reed holder that had been evading him for the past little while.

"Yeah, I heard that through the grapevine. But you tell her to stick with it. Sooner or later she'll be able to hit LA go professional. Hey, maybe one day she'll even be in _Cats_." Fay grinned as she stepped out of the way as some of the backstage technicians hurried past, checking the wires as they did so.

"Maybe Fay, maybe. So what do I owe the pleasure?" Tim asked her as he eyed the two bamboo reeds, checking to make sure that they weren't cracked. Heaven forbid he should go out onstage with a busted reed. That would be a total nightmare.

"I know you guys are about to go on so I'll make this brief. I was wondering if you could do me a favor." She said as she carefully stepped over a bunch of chords that lay in a heap on the floor.

"Fay for you anything. You want me to crack a few skulls or something?" Tim asked as he wrapped his black neck guard around the saxophone just as the stage manager poked his head behind a lighting boom.

"You go on in five." The guy said before he hurried away, talking into his heat-set to some guy named Mike.

"Nothing that serious." Fay chuckled as she crab-stepped forward, trying to avoid being knocked over as musicians and technicians hurried about, making sure everything was good to go. "I was just wondering if you could play a song for me. Well, it's actually for a friend of mine and I really think that he'd appreciate the gesture. He's a big fan of Twisted Sister." She said before glancing down at her wristwatch.

"Twisted Sister huh? I sure can do. Which song?" He asked Fay, slapping on a wrist guard and other add on's to complete the get up. Complete with tight purple pants, he cut quite in impressive rock figure.

"Their one and only decent song, you know the one I'm talking about. I really appreciate it." Fay said as the stage manager appeared once more and motioned to Tim that he had two minutes left.

"No problem Fay. You gonna stick around for the show?" He asked her as he watched a back-stage hand cart away his saxophone and stand in order to place it on the stage.

"I wouldn't miss is." Fay grinned and gave him a flirtatious wink as she turned to leave. "Oh and one more thing. I like the pants." She said as she stuck her tongue out at him, KISS style. Tim just rolled his eyes and waved as Fay hurried off before he exhaled deeply and met up with the drummer before they made their way on stage where a large crowd had already gathered.

"_Do you wanna get rocked!_" Tim shouted out to the crowd and a unified cheer rang out as the guitarist strummed out the first chord and the show got underway. Within no time the large crowd of teens was moving to the beat as Tim sang on about believing in something or other, accenting the lyrics with the screeching of his saxophone. Despite her promise, Fay was doing her best to worm her way out of the surging mosh pit, which was taking her longer than she had anticipated, and as she did so someone from behind her nudged her to the side in order to get past. Growling under her breath, Fay turned to give the person what for but stopped herself when she saw who it was. There were two of them, the elder one no more than 19 while the smaller one who was wearing something right out of a Teen Bop magazine looked to be freshman material.

"Hey Michael, what's the rush?" The younger of the two asked as Michael continued on, shouldering his way through the tightly packed music lovers as the younger boy followed close behind.

"Where'd she go?" Michael muttered under his breath as they moved on, the path they created instantly vanishing as people continued to dance and jump around, getting lost in the music. Only Fay stood stock still in the whirling, moving bodies, appearing to be somewhat stunned before she was shoved to the side once more by a group of metal heads that were shoving one another around for the hell of it. Giving herself a good shake, Fay redoubled her efforts to get away from the stage, hoping that the others were ready and waiting.

Just a few minutes away Tomfoolery was on the prowl, slinking his way through a sea of legs as he hurried from game stand to game stand, quickly eyeing the people towering over him before he moved on. He was running out of time and he knew that if he didn't complete his part, the entire plan could be ruined. Hissing viciously as some mow hawked punk accidentally stepped on his tail, Tom bolted away from the water gun stand and streaked across the Midway, his one good eye opened wide as he tried to find a young child as lucky should have it he spotted one by the cotton candy vendor. The little boy was digging at the ground with the toe of his shoe as his mother busily rummaged around through her purse, trying to find exact change in order to buy a stick of cotton candy. Wasting no time Tom immediately went into action.

"_Prow? Merow. Meeeeeeeeeeeeow!"_ He cried as he ran up to the little boy and rubbed himself against him, purring and pawing as if he were the most affectionate cat in the world. The little boy whose name was Terry blinked but didn't shoo the scarred and scruffy looking cat away. Instead he grinned and patted him on his head while Tom licked his fingers and wrapped his tail around the boy's hand. Terry laughed as the cat ran off and stopped a few feet away, looking over his shoulder as he did so as if he wanted the boy to follow him. Without thinking, the little boy chased after the cat as Tom ran back and forth, leaping about like a hyper puppy in order to keep Terry's interest focused solely on him.

"Come back!" Terry called out as Tom sped up, heading straight of the neon rimmed glass windows of VideoMax, the largest video rental store on the Boardwalk. The cat stopped just outside of the open doorway and waited until Terry had caught up with him before he gave a final meow and zipped away, vanishing into the shadows before the boy could even call out. Instead of chasing after the cat once more, Terry looked around but didn't recognize where he was. Unable to spot his mother he did what every seven year old child would do. He began to cry.

Leaning against the Boardwalk railing, David exhaled a cloud of smoke as he flicked away the butt of his cigarette. Paul breathed deeply as he ran a hand through his hair and nudged Marko in the side. The two friends shared an uneasy look but it quickly vanished as David and Dwayne started forward, their tense postures relaxing into an easy slouch as if this was all the spur of the moment and not planed out to the tiniest detail. You got to hand it to Fay. When she wants something done, she leaves no stone unturned in order to get perfection.

"Here we go." Marko muttered under his breath as they walked past the crying kid and entered the video store. With his hands shoved into his jacket pockets, no one saw that he had both fingers crossed.

A sharp tinkling announced their presence, David entering first with Dwayne right behind him and Marko and Paul trailing in last, but none of the boys missed the annoyed look that Max shot at them, least of all David. Snarling internally, David just smiled in response as Marko and Paul playfully shoved one another, ignoring Max altogether. Dwayne didn't bat an eyelash as he locked eyes with Max, his brooding stare causing Thorn to growl deeply in warning. Before Max could say anything, Lucy Emerson entered the store, leading the lost little boy by the hand.

"Excuse me, this boy seems to be lost." She said her voice naturally soft and caring, the voice of a loving mother. Max blinked as he turned to her and as he did so he missed the sharp, calculating look on David's face as he eyed Lucy like a hawk. So this was the woman that Fay had been talking about for the past few months. God, she looked like June Clever lost in the 80's. Despite his misgivings, David revealed nothing as he followed the other three around the cashier counter, eyeing Max's head cashier Maria for a moment before he went back to watching Lucy out of the corner of his eye.

"I thought maybe his parents might be in here?" Lucy asked Max with a half-pleading smile on her face. It didn't take a genius to see that Max was taken with her. Thorn growled once more, louder this time, but everyone ignored him. As Max opened his mouth to say something Terry's mother frantically dashed into the store.

"Terry! Oh, thank God! I was so worried!" She exclaimed as she bent over to scoop her son into her arms, giving Max a thankful look before taking the sniffling boy by the hand. Max smiled and handed the boy a lollipop as his mother thanked them both for finding her son.

"There you go Terry." Max said as David looked on, memorizing this little scene in order to analyze it later on. For their part Marko and Paul nailed their troublesome, roguish charm as they cruised Maria, swapping flippant comments. Dwayne managed to crack a half-hearted smile but that instantly faded as he eavesdropped on what as being said between Max and the new arrival. When Max handed Lucy a lollipop, David motioned for the others that it was time to leave and the boys began to shuffle towards the door.

"I told you not to come here anymore." Max said, the gallant nice-guy tone vanishing from his voice as he glared at the four boys, giving them a look that told them that they were going to pay for disobeying him. David smiled once again, biting back a chuckle that threatened to reveal itself as he looked from Lucy to Max, a knowing gleam in his eyes. Dwayne just stared at Max, his eyes hard and unreadable as he wished that he could tear the head vampire to pieces right then and there. Paul couldn't even look at Max as he tried his very best not to burst out laughing and tell Max how screwed he was. So instead of blowing it, he keep his eyes on the floor and clapped Dwayne on the shoulder, letting him know that now was not the time. As they trooped out, Marko just smiled his genuine boyish smile before stepping out of the store.

"Wild kids." Max muttered as he watched them leave before turning his attention back to Lucy when she spoke up once more.

As the boys mounted their bikes that were parked right outside the store, David looked around for a moment before he spotted Fay standing by a trash can, nervously clutching her cane while Tomfoolery paced up and down beside her. With a swift nod of his head he let her know that they had done what they had come here to do and he could almost hear her sigh of relief as they revved their bikes to life and peeled away from the video store. Fay and Dwayne stared at one another for a split second before he and the others drove off without saying a word. Now it was time to pick up Star and Laddie and see if part three of their plan had worked.

"You hungry Tom?" Fay asked her familiar and when Tom meowed his answer, Fay clicked her teeth together and the two of them melted back into the crowd, heading for a food vendor that was both cheap and satisfying. As Fay was placing an order for a hamburger at the_ Grill King_ burger and fries joint, Michael was getting shafted by the Boardwalk entrance as Star climbed on behind David, clearly out-of-bounds. While the others chuckled amongst themselves, David just smiled at Michael, a smile so unreadable that it would have driven Sigmund Freud mad if he tried to decipher the true meaning behind it. Part three was complete, hook, line and sinker.

"_This next song was requested by a good friend of mine, so let's rock this place and let Santa Carla know what we're about_!" Tim shouted into the microphone and the audience members roared out their approval when the drummer began to beat out the familiar tune. When Tim started singing everyone belted out the words along with him, screeching the lyrics to the unofficial anthem of teenage culture as loud as they possibly could.

"_We're not gonna take it_

_No, we ain't gonna take it_

_We're not gonna take it anymore!_

_We go the right to choose and_

_There ain't no way we'll loose it_

_This is our right, this is our song!"_

Whether it was the ear-bursting chorus or the guitar solo, Paul recognized the tune above the combined roar of the four motorcycles and when he did, he instantly hit the breaks, screeching to a halt as he kicked up a wave of sand.

"YO GUYS! HOLD UP FOR A MINUTE!" He shouted above the engines as Marko shot past him and fish-tailed a second later when he too heard the song. Dwayne, who was driving along side David, glanced over his shoulder before motioning to David that the others had stopped.

"What is it?" Star asked as David easily swung the Triumph in an arc and drove back to where Paul and Marko were waiting, listening intently.

"Listen man." Paul said as he nodded in the direction that they had just come from. The engines purred quietly as the four Lost Boys listened as Tim belted out the words that Twisted Sister had made famous. Slowly, mirroring smiles appeared on each of the four boys' faces as they realized just what was being said as the song played. Fay had just slapped the icing on the cake and what a cake it was!

"YEAH FAY! ROCK ON!" Paul howled as he threw back his head and roared out his approval. Marko cackled and howled out along with Paul, the racket that the two of them were making was loud enough to wake the dead. David laughed for the first time in days and shook his head. It was just too clever.

"'Atta girl Fay. Show that bastard." Dwayne murmured under his breath before he let out a challenging roar that outstripped Paul and Marko by a mile. Laddie and Star just looked on confused and a tad bit scared at the sudden change in the boys, but they knew better then to say anything. Instead they just hung on as the boys roared the engines back to full throttle and tore off along the beach, heading straight for the pier.

Back on the Boardwalk, Max lifted his head as he tilted it slightly to the side, listening to the song that drifted into the store from the speakers outside. When he recognized the tune his face darkened like a storm cloud as he scowled.

"_We're right, yeah!  
We're free, yeah!  
We'll fight, yeah!  
You'll see…Yeah!_

"God I hate that song." He growled out-loud as he left the cash registers and slammed the front door close in an attempt to block out the song. But Twisted Sister's lyrics proved harder to get rid of then he realized. And as Fay shared half of her beef patty with Tom, she listened to the song and smiled.

"_We're not gonna take it anymore!"_

_God I love irony. _


	21. Chapter 20

Hey everyone!

First off, thank you all for the reviews! Secondly...we are now beginning the end. This chapter is part one of the ending and for issues due to length and the fact that you all would probably tear your eyes out if I had not seperated the ending into two seperate chapters is why I have seperated the ending. The second half will be up in a couple of days. I need to re-write sections and all that fun stuff but never fear. And then after that the epilogue and then finito. (But I do have a little surprise for all of you at the end of this story) My god, I've just realized that it has almost been a full year since I started this story and nowI am so very close to finishing it. Well dear reader, let us finish this journey together just like we started it.

Happy Reading!

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_Now every vampire buff on this planet knows what happens at the end of_ The Lost Boys_ right? You wouldn't be sitting here listening to me ramble on if you didn't. But what happens in the film is only a quarter of what really went on that night and let me tell you my dear, there is a _**whole** _lot more to it than just a bathtub full of holy water, a couple of amateur vampire hunters and a beat up pick-up truck playing _La Cucaracha. _Honestly do you really think that it was that easy? I'm sure you are all nodding in agreement with me because when it comes down to it, it takes a whole lot more to kill off a vampire and here they were dealing with three. Mind you like I said before, no one is perfect and the boys really screwed up royally. How many times have I told them to _**never ever underestimate their opponent? **_Well that night Paul wasn't thinking straight due to the fact that he woke up with Marko's blood splattered all over the walls of the sleeping nook and that little twerp, what's his name…Sam, got really lucky. BUT if David had originally stuck to the plan none of this would have happened. _

_Sometimes I wonder if people ever listen to a word I say. David didn't, my children don't, neither does my husband half the time and the list just goes on and on. And I'm rambling again! I'm sorry. Ok, so you want to know about what really happened the night the Lost Boys died? Well, it all began when an unexpected visitor showed up on my doorstep around seven o'clock that evening. _

"Boys via manga! Figaro, Elvis! Dinner time! Don't make me call you again!" Fay shouted from the kitchen as she grabbed a can opener and began to work the lid of a can of Friskies Beef and Liver cat food. Two bowls, one red and one blue with the names of the two cats painted along the sides, sat on the kitchen counter already half filled with dry cat food and as Fay went about preparing the cats dinners, the expecting felines were nowhere to be seen.

"So help me if those two don't get their furry tails in here on the count of three I'm throwing this out!" Fay growled to herself as she grabbed a spoon and carved half the tin into the red bowl and the other half into the blue one. Yawning behind the back of her hand, she blinked owlishly and peered up at the mobile Felix the Cat clock, taking note that it was five to seven. The sun would set around 7:45 and that's when she would catch the bus down to the Boardwalk to find out how things were going. It had been a few days since the initial set up and Fay was anxious to know how everything was playing out. David and the others knew exactly what had to be done and she was certain that they wouldn't muck things up. This was their one chance to get rid of Max once and for all and she made dead sure that each vampire knew it, especially David. She had broken her good wooden spoon over his thick skull during their last "war council" and she knew that her sacrifice would not be in vain. Good wooden sugo spoons were few and far between and what was an Italian cook without her faithful wooden spoon?

"Ok, that's it. ONE! TWO!..."Fay yelled as she slammed the empty tin can down on the counter with a hollow "tang" and just as she was about to yell three the sounds of running paws was heard along with a crash of broken pottery and a surprised screech. Moments later Figaro darted in through the cat flap that Fay had installed on the kitchen door and leapt neatly onto the kitchen counter, tail arched in a question mark as if he was asking what was for dinner. Yet before Figaro could begin to stuff his face Fay grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and hoisted up him so that he was standing on his hind legs and speared him with a look.

"What did you do to Elvis?" She asked him and even Figaro's best suck-up expression didn't phase her a bit. Lucky for the tabby, Elvis decided to make his grand appearance when he did or else Fay would have really let him have it. Ever since Dwayne and Paul had given Fay the black kitten, Figaro had been trying his very best to either kill the kitten or chase it off. And now that a few months have past and Elvis was no longer the little fuzz ball that he had been, Figaro resigned to the fact that the black cat was here to stay and had dedicated his waking hours to making Elvis' life as miserable as possible. The funny thing is Elvis didn't seem to mind. In fact he liked the attention oddly enough. He was the classic case of all fur and no brains and Fay wasn't the only one to realize this.

Elvis let out a gruff meow as he shook himself, sending potting soil flying in all directions. Fay sighed and gave Figaro a disapproving look, one that he seemed to wilt under, before she scooped him up and plopped him down on the floor. Muttering to herself she grabbed the two bowls and placed the red one by the counter and then the blue one near the fridge. Once the cats started eating away like a pair of miniature horses, Fay tossed the empty can into the garbage and walked out of the kitchen and into the living room where she flopped down on the loveseat, massaging her forehead with her right hand.

"I asked him for cats. Not dogs. And what does he bring me? A dead dog." She muttered in a tired voice as she looked over at the coffee table where the still form of a stuffed Pekinese sat, staring glassy eyed at the wall in front of it. She was a cat lady, not a dog lady. She had a cousin who had a fetish for canines but thankfully she didn't inherit that gene.

"What am I going to do with a dead dog?" She moaned out loud before she grabbed a pillow and buried her face into it with a huff. For the past couple of days Fay had been trying to see if she had inherited any of her aunt's talent in bringing the dead back to life and so far all she had managed to do was resurrect a mouse, one that Elvis promptly ate when it started to move, and bring back mobility to a stuffed badger for a few minutes. However none of this seemed very promising and Fay had a sneaking suspicion that she would have better results if her test subject was of the feline family. Hopefully the next time she saw Henry Emerson, he would be kind enough to remember her request and bring her a stuffed cat. Right now she would have been happy with road kill.

"_Maow?_" Elvis' deep meow announced his presence as he rubbed up against the couch, his thick black tail flicking this way and that, wanting to be the center of Fay's attention. Over the past few months the tiny little puffball that was Elvis had certainly grown to be a very large puffball and despite the fact that he was now bigger than Figaro, Fay knew that he was going to end up being the size of a small dog by the time he finished growing.

"What is it Elvis?" Fay muttered from behind the pillow as the cat placed his paws on the couch and nudged the pillow with his nose, trying to get her attention. When Fay didn't move, Elvis licked his lips and crouched down, his yellow eyes glinting as he sprang onto Fay with a loud meow.

"Elvis you idiot! Mamma is trying to sleep!" Fay cursed as the cat landed on her stomach, nearly knocking the wind out of her. Elvis just sneezed as he walked around on Fay, trying to find a comfortable spot to curl up in. Instead what he got was a smack in the face from Figaro as the cat sailed in from the kitchen, leaping onto the arm of the loveseat before pouncing on the black cat. Squealing and hissing, the two cats tumbled off of Fay and onto the floor and in order to break up the fight Fay had to resort to throwing a pillow at them.

"Stop it! I swear you two are no better than Dwayne and Paul! I can't even get a moments rest in my own home!" She hissed at them, sending Elvis scurrying behind the couch while Figaro just sat there, licking his paw as if nothing had happened.

_Ding dong._

Figaro looked up from what he was doing to look over at the front door as the doorbell rung once more. Talk about perfect timing.

"Does it ever end?" Fay muttered out-loud as she hoisted herself up off the love seat and made her way over to the front door, cursing the fact that she had left her cane up in her bedroom. As Fay began to unlock the multiple newly installed locks on her door, Elvis cautiously peeked out from his hiding spot, only to duck back again when Figaro hissed at him. Running a hand through her hair, Fay cautiously pulled back the last deadbolt and slowly cracked open the door, peering out to see who it was.

"The Widow Johnson I presume." Henry Emerson, better known as Grandpa Emerson, said gleefully as he gave Fay a formal half bow. Figaro meowed in question as he stuck his head out of the crack by Fay's leg, looking up at Grandpa with a curious expression on his furry face.

"Henry, what are you doing here?" Fay asked quietly as she opened the door a little wider and stuck her own head out, looking left and right to see if there was anyone watching. Aside from Grandpa Emerson's motley truck that was parked by the curb, there was nothing out of place in the pristine suburb, which was a good thing. Before Grandpa could say another word, Fay grabbed him and hauled him inside before she slammed the door shut behind him and quickly started to relock it. Grandpa stood off to the side, eyebrow arched as he watched Fay work on the eight different locks before he looked down at Figaro who was sniffing his shoe.

"You're not supposed to come here tonight Henry, why the surprise visit?" Fay asked him when she finished with the door and turned to face him as Elvis came padding out from the living room to see who the visitor was.

"Surprise visit eh? Sam told me that you had called and that I was supposed to pick the "Widow Johnson" up at seven instead of eight. Found it mighty interesting seeing that I didn't have the cat done yet." Henry said as he idly scratched his chin while Figaro and Elvis looked at one another and stepped away from the old man.

"Call you? I never called you." Fay said, a frown suddenly appearing on her face as an uneasy feeling suddenly swept over her. Grandpa Emerson caught the sudden change in her expression and arched an eyebrow.

"So it seems my grandson lied to me. be something to do with those two kids Sam and Michael brought home today." Grandpa said with a casual shrug before he took a slight step back when Fay speared him with a god-awful glare.

"What two kids?" She asked him as she nodded towards the kitchen. Knowing better than to do otherwise, Grandpa Emerson lead the way and sat down at the kitchen table as Fay sat on his left. Figaro jumped up onto a chair on the other side of the old man and sat as well, his thin tail curled daintily around his paws as if waiting to hear what news the old man had to offer. If this strange behavior surprised Grandpa, he didn't show it. After all Fay was a witch and her cats were going to be a cut above the average mouser. Fay's grandmother, Eleanor Prima had been an old friend of his when she was alive and Henry Emerson had gotten a first hand experience of what that woman could do with animals so this was nothing.

"Well, lessee. While I was putting in the new fence Sam and Michael took the car around one and came back a little after two. This time they had a girl and a little boy with them. Oh and those two commando boys were with them." Grandpa Emerson said as he sat back in his chair, totally at ease with the situation, while Fay seemed to grow more anxious by the second.

"Is that it?" Fay asked him, looking at Grandpa and then up at the clock, checking the time once again.

"Yeah, that seems about all there is…wait there is one other thing." He said, suddenly remembering something that he had noticed when he had come across his grandkids and their friends a few hours before. Fay gave Grandpa a sharp look, but the old man either didn't see it or just ignored it. He was a tough old salt and not some jumpy greenhorn after all. "From the looks of it, it looked like they got into a serious scrap with a vampire. Sam and his friends were covered in blood and I don't think it was Max that they finished off, seeing that Lucy went off to his place to have dinner with the guy." Grandpa Emerson said, practically spitting the last words as if they left a foul taste in his mouth. Fay sat there stone faced for a few minutes, digesting what the old man had said before she came to the inevitable conclusion. The Emerson boys and their friends must have gotten access to the cave and somehow made their way into the elevator shaft that David and the others used as a sleeping nook during the day. That meant that one of the boys was dead.

Fay swallowed hard as she rose from the table, shaking her head when Grandpa Emerson gave her a curious look. Figaro instantly jumped down from his chair and ran from the kitchen while Fay excused herself for a minute and followed in her cat's wake, leaving Grandpa and Elvis to keep each other company for the time being. Hurrying to the bathroom, Fay dashed inside and closed the door as quietly as she could while Figaro jumped up on the bathroom counter, pacing in circles as he meowed his concern. Fay looked at her cat for a moment before she rested her back against the door and breathed in deeply, trying to fight back the overwhelming wave of panic that was rising like the tide.

"Who is it Fig? Who did they kill?" Fay asked as she breathed in again and closed her eyes, slowly calming herself while she tried to clear her mind Think Fay, think and breathe. Who was it? Who? Which one is lying dead in the cave? Just think….think….Fay slowly let out another deep breath as she forced all thoughts out of her head and focused on the boys, visualizing each one in her mind as she slowly delved deeper into her psyche, digging deep down in order to find the answer. Figaro stood stock still in anticipation as he get his eyes glued on Fay's face, waiting to see what her reaction would be. Fay's composer crumbled when she saw Marko fall from his perch with a wooden stake rammed through his chest as the last moments of his undead life flashed across her mind. Figaro's alarmed mewls went unnoticed as Fay let out a pained whine and slowly sunk to the bathroom floor, doing her best to hold back a howl of anguish as she curled into a ball, shaking uncontrollably in silence.

_This wasn't supposed to happen! He wasn't supposed to die! No one but Max was supposed to die! What went wrong? Why did this happen? Why Marko? Why? Why? _

Fay repeated this mantra over and over in her head as she fought for control. She couldn't crack now, she couldn't come undone. Not when they were this close. Something had gone terribly wrong and if Fay didn't do something about it now, the whole plan as well as the rest of the boys could be in jeopardy. Now was not the time to give into grief. Now was the time to pay Max back for all of this, pay him back tenfold and make him suffer like they had suffered. Now was the time to act god damn it! They had not come this far to fail and they would not fail, not as long as one of them still lived. Figaro nudged Fay and continued to meow frantically when she slowly stopped shaking and relaxed, unmoving for a few moments before she opened her eyes. Figaro peered up at her face, one that did not show a spec of the grief that was locked away inside, and knew that something big was about to happen, something really big.

Fay blinked once before she grabbed a hold of the bathroom counter and hoisted herself back onto her feet. When she glanced at her reflection in the mirror, all she could see was the cold hard resolve that glinted like flint in her eyes and taking that into account, she turned and opened the bathroom door, striding out into the hallway with her head held high while looking like she was ready to wage war against the world. Instead of the world, that war would be waged against a certain vampire whose days were defiantly numbered and one did not have to be psychic to realize it.

"I'm guessin' that this is gonna be a long night?" Grandpa Emerson asked off-handedly when he saw the look on Fay's face as he closed the refrigerator door and popped open a bottle of cola that he had decided to help himself to. When Fay didn't respond, Grandpa just shrugged to himself and took a swing from the bottle as Fay hurried up the stairs and stormed into her bedroom, the door slamming shut with a echoing bang.

"A word from the wise my furry friend, never piss off one of the Primas. Heh, it'll be the last thing you ever do." Grandpa Emerson said to Elvis as the cat looked up at him and meowed in agreement.

"Now lessee what else she has around here to eat. You hungry?" He asked the cat as he began to rummage through the cabinets in search for something to snack on. Well, if he was going to be up all night while attempting to kill the head vampire he figured that Fay wouldn't mind if he raided her larder.

While Grandpa Emerson was busy in the kitchen, Fay moved about her room like a woman possessed, ripping of her clothes and throwing on new ones as she grabbed the frame of the Elvis portrait that hung beside her dresser and moved it gently to the side, revealing a small safe that was set into the wall.

"Figaro, I want you and Elvis to hurry and find as many cats as you can. You have twenty minutes to get them here. It's high time that we repay Max for what he and his devil dog did to the others." She said to Figaro as she quickly turned the dial on the safe, fingering in the release code while Figaro mewled an affirmative and turned to leave but stopped when he saw that the door was closed. Arching his tail into a question mark, he looked over his shoulder at Fay and didn't have to say a word because as he did so the wooden door suddenly swung open on its own accord. Without another sound the gray tabby bolted from the bedroom and raced down the stairs, jumping the last three as he meowed for Elvis to join him at once. Realizing that this wasn't some sort of prank, Elvis jumped down from the counter where Grandpa Emerson had been feeding him pieces of anchovies and ran after Figaro, vanishing through the cat flap as the two cats raced around the house, Figaro dashing off across the lawn while Elvis leapt the wooden fence and took off in the opposite direction in a race against time.

"Wonder what's gotten into them?" Grandpa muttered to himself as he peered out the kitchen window to see the two cats run off. He looked down at the half finished anchovy in his hand and with a small shrug popped the small fish into his mouth as he began to make himself a make-shift sandwich with whatever Fay had in her fridge and cupboards. Half-way across the downtown core of Santa Carla, action in the Emerson house had doubled as Michael arose as the sun slowly started to set and rushed around the house along with Sam and the two Frog brothers, the four boys hurrying to reinforce the house before David and the others came a-calling. Along the rocky coast about twenty minutes opposite the Emerson household, Lucy carefully made her way up the wooden walkway of Max's house, adjusting her shawl as she cautiously peered about in the growing shadows, fearful of confronting the hulking white form of Max's guard dog. When she made it to Max's front door unscathed, Lucy breathed a sigh of relief as she raised her hand and rang the doorbell just as her son Michael was bolting the doors and windows of their home, while deep within the hidden cave the three remaining vampires slept on as the sun neared the horizon line and began to sink out of sight.

"So what do we plan on doing now? The whole fire and pitchfork routine or are we going to go along with something more subtle, like a .45 caliber bullet between the eyes? He'd be just as dead without a head than with a stake through his heart and this is my own good suit, would be a shame if I ruined it." Grandpa Emerson said out-loud as he brushed off the remains of his triple-decker Emerson supreme off of his beard and looked towards the stairs to see if Fay had heard him. "Fay?" He called out once more and as before, he did not get a response. Frowning, the old man headed towards the stairs and quietly made his way down the second floor hallway as he sniffed the air, picking up the smell of burning incense that was coming from what had to be the master bedroom. Grandpa Emerson stopped just outside the bedroom door and as quietly as he could, he turned the door handle and opened the door a crack, cautiously peering in to see if Fay was all right. What he saw was Fay kneeling on the floor before what appeared to be a make-shift alter of some sort, murmuring something under her breath as she held aloft her jaguar handled cane, as if offering it to whatever god she was praying to. Sitting upon the alter were two hand-carved statues that looked like they could probably be dated back a good three thousand years, both Egyptian in design and figure. From what he could see, both statues were female but one had what had to be a lionesses head on its body while the other had the head of a cat. Unable to take his eyes off what he was seeing, Grandpa Emerson watched as Fay lowered the cane and slowly slid the hidden blade out of the wooden shaft before she held the sword cane over the smoldering incense and softly chanted something over and over again in a language that he couldn't make out. When he realized what was going on, Grandpa Emerson quietly closed the door once more and shook his head. Ah well, what can you do? Sighing to himself, Grandpa Emerson made his way back down the hallway and decided that he would wait until Fay finished up with whatever voodoo mumbo jumbo that she was doing before he asked her what exactly was going to happen tonight. For now he would content himself with reading the T.V. guide.

As the minutes ticked by, the western sun sank further and further into the horizon until there was nothing left but the pale pink sky that signaled in the beginning of the evening twilight. The crashing of neither the incoming surf nor the intense electric hum that was coming from the boardwalk seemed to penetrate the solemn silence that hung throughout the hodgepodge conglomeration that was the vampires' cave, while hanging upside down, David, Dwayne and Paul slowly started to regain consciousness. Inside each of the boys' heads, the dying screams of their blood brother echoed as loudly as they had hours before and David was the first one to awaken, a blood-curdling scream filling both the blood covered shaft and the cave as he released his hold on the rail and plummeted to the ground. A split-second later Paul and Dwayne snapped awake, shrieking their own curses and rage as they launched themselves after David, swooping up into the tightly packed corridor tunnel that connected the sleeping shaft with the main cave. The mummified remains of what had once been Marko only added fuel to their already mounting fury and as the three remaining vampires soared out of the cave Paul unleashed a howl that sounded out above the loud music of the boardwalk and for a few seconds all the people who heard it shuddered in unison before going back to doing whatever it was that was occupying their time.

"I KILL THEM! I'LL KILL THEM ALL!" Paul bellowed, his vampire visage unmistakable in the mulitcoloured light that glittered from the boardwalk and for a moment it looked as if he had truly lost all forms of sanity. For once Dwayne did not contradict him for he too was foaming at the mouth in anger at the injustice that had been done to Marko. Those fucking brats were too cowardly to fight them face to face so they attempted to pick them off while they were defenseless. Max or no Max, Fay or no Fay, Michael's twerp of a brother was going to pay for Marko's death with his own god-damn blood!

"You two head for the house. Kill them but leave Michael to me!" David barked above the howling wind as he banked to the left, going south-east instead of north-east. Dwayne growled darkly as he flew past David and nudged Paul on the proper course because at that moment Paul was too infuriated to even see straight much less fly in the right direction. Whatever David was planning was his business. Right now he and Paul had dish out some serious payback and they were going to enjoy every damn minute of it. While Dwayne and Paul shot off in the direction of the Emerson house, David made a bee-line for Max's place, keeping just above the tree line for maximum cover as he scanned the roads, hoping to intercept the beat-up old station wagon that Michael's mother drove. Wouldn't it really stick it to Max if the only part of his infatuation to arrive to "dinner" was her head? Yet whether it was by some sick coincidence or just sheer luck, Lucy had left work early and made it to Max's house before the designated arrival time and by the time David got there, she was already inside, safe and sound.

"_Die!_" David snarled in his head as he sent Max that one word through the reinforced mental link that the two of them shared as he circled the house. Somewhere inside he heard Thorn bark in warning but that stupid mutt couldn't stop him even if it tried. Tonight was going to be the night that Max's world came crashing down around his ears and if he and the others died because of it, well then they would just have to take him with them. No more playing games, no more skulking in shadows while plotting behind his back. Tonight David was going to make Max rue the day that he ever decided to come to Santa Carla while he painted the place red with the blood of Marko's killers.

Meanwhile, sitting casually at the dinning table, Max offered Lucy a reassuring smile as she delved into great detail about what her son Sam had done that after noon, going on about how her son was convinced that there were vampires that were after him. Max feigned interest while he quickly tried to think of an excuse that would enable him to get over to Lucy's father's place in order to prevent David from pulling off something that Max knew he wasn't going to like. That boy was asking to get himself killed and for Max enough was enough. He had a pretty good idea as to what David might try to pull and knew that if he didn't act soon, all of his planning, plotting and subtle coaxing will have been for nothing. And he couldn't have that now could he?

"You know Lucy, after hearing about Sam's latest escapades; I cannot help but blame myself for all of this. Clearly your son considers me as some sort of threat and I would hate to put the relationship that you and Sam have in jeopardy. So I was wondering that after dinner, would you mind if I drove us to your house and had a talk with Sam? I would just like the chance to show him that by no means am I trying to steal you away from him. Maybe after he has gotten the chance to know me a little he'll begin to understand that I am not the scary boogey man that he seems to think I am." Max said calmly as he placed his fork down and looked over at Lucy. For a moment Lucy did not know what to say, but when she realized what Max was trying to do, she gave him a beaming smile as she reached over and laid her hand over his.

"Would you really do that?" Lucy asked, completely captivated by his kindness and selfless personality. Max smiled softly as he laid his other hand over hers as he gave her his most charming look, one that seemed to melt her like butter.

"Of course I would Lucy. It would be my pleasure." He reassured her, taking her hand and gallantly kissed it. Lucy's smile seemed to light up the room and when Max looked up at her he could practically see the stars shining in her eyes. After all this time he certainly did not loose his way with women, that much was certain.

Back at Fay's house half an hour had come and gone and still Figaro and Elvis had not returned. Grandpa Emerson was debating on whether or not he should venture back upstairs and interrupt Fay in whatever it was that she was doing but in the end he didn't have to because the sound of Fay's footsteps was easily heard coming down the stairs.

"We all set?" Grandpa Emerson asked as he rose from the couch as Fay appeared in the doorway of the living room with her cane in hand and a knitted sweater draped over her shoulders. For a minute there Grandpa Emerson could have sworn that it was Fay's grandmother standing there instead of Fay because the two suddenly seemed to look so much alike, but when he looked closer, he realized that it must have been his eyes playing tricks on him.

"We're going to Max's house first." Fay said as she eyed the clock on her wall, checking to make sure that she had the right time.

"Max's house? Why the hell do we want to go there?" Grandpa Emerson asked as Fay crossed the room, cane in hand as she went over to the living room windows and peered between the drapes to check something outside.

"We don't." Fay replied as she grabbed her keys off of a side table and made her way over to the front door. In no time the multiple locks were unlocked and when she opened the door to let Grandpa Emerson go out first, what he saw waiting for them on the front lawn made him stop dead in his tracks. Cats….everywhere there were cats. All colours, shapes and sizes. To Grandpa it looked like half the cats of Santa Carla were sitting out in front of Fay's house, waiting for something to happen.

"They do." Fay said to him as she pushed him gently out of the way and stepped out of the house, closing the door behind her. Figaro and Elvis trotted up the front steps as Fay began to lock up the house and looked up at her seemingly very pleased with how their combined efforts had paid off.

"My god, it looks like a scene out of _The Birds_ but only this time there are cats. Where'd they all come from?" Grandpa Emerson whispered to Fay, afraid of raising his voice just incase he accidentally set the cats off or something. There was something very surreal and unnerving about having over 30 cats watching your every move and the old man was certain that they weren't all here because they had nothing better to do. Whatever Fay was planning, he was sure that it was going to be big.

"I have a lot of friends Henry. It's just that most of them are the four legged kind." Fay said as she finished locking up her house and pocketed the keys. Figaro and Elvis brushed up against Fay's legs before scooting off of the porch to join the rest of the cat crowd that was waiting for Fay's signal. As Henry watched on in utter astonishment, Fay made her way off of the porch and straight into the middle of the group, the cats in her path moving out of the way almost if she were Moses parting the Red Sea. Never before had he seen such a thing.

"You know what Henry? I remember telling a friend once that the only difference between the Wicked Witch of the West and myself was that she had flying monkeys while I had cats. I guess it's true." Fay said as she turned around to face Grandpa Emerson, nodding for him to come off the porch and join her. "Also, I don't melt as easily." She chuckled softly to herself as a small, tired smile appeared on her face. Dozens of gleaming eyes looked up at her from all directions as the cats rose to their feet, waiting to see what Fay would do next. Fay looked down at the multitude of cats for a moment, frowning slightly as she debated about something in her mind, but in the end she nodded slightly to herself.

"_Maorrroaw mereer_!" She meowed loudly to the cats, letting her gaze sweep over them all as she rotated on the spot in order to see them.

"_MERROW!"_ The cats mewled in unison as they lifted their tails into the air and ran to Fay, rubbing up against her, purring and meowing as they tried to get close. Elvis butted his way to her side while the ever slick Figaro launched himself into the air and Fay caught him easily as she hugged him to her chest.

"You want to help me load them into your truck?" Fay asked Grandpa Emerson as he just stared as the strange scene played out before him. Instead of reply, the old man just nodded his head and carefully made his way over to his truck, trying his best not to step on any of Fay's little army. It took a couple of minutes but he and Fay had the cats loaded onto the back of the truck safe and sound as well as having a few ride up front with the two of them. Grumbling to himself, Grandpa started the truck and carefully pulled away from the curb while Ellen Grisham watched them leave from her living room window.

"That Henry Emerson is up to no good again." She muttered to her husband as Frank sat in his lazy boy, reading the evening paper and going his very best to ignore his wife's mutterings.

"Oh will you get away from that window Ellen? Whatever Henry is up to is his own business not yours." Frank growled as he pushed his reading glasses further up along the bridge of his nose as he turned the page of his paper. If prying into other people's lives was an Olympic sport, his wife would be a three-time gold medalist.

"Oh really. So when vampires come barging into our house next time, then it will be our business?" Ellen snapped as she closed the living room drapes and turned to give her husband a scathing look. "I remember the last time when you and Henry got mixed up in all that riff-raff blood-sucking nonsense! And now he's got Fay helping him. Will it ever end!" Ellen exclaimed, waving her hands into the air for extra emphasis but the only reaction she got out of Frank was a loud "harrumph!"

"If there is anyone who can hold their own against vampires Ellen, it's those two. We knew Fay's grandmother and we know Henry. Aged leather isn't as half as tough that old coot and Fay's got all those damn cats. They'll be fine." Frank muttered as he closed his paper and grabbed a pen from his shirt pocket as he began to work out the daily crossword puzzle. Ellen kept her eyes on him before she sat back down in her rocking chair and picked up her knitting and the old couple fell into a shaky silence as Ellen's metal knitting needles clicked away in time with the ticking of their old grandfather clock.

It took little over forty minutes for Henry to pull up in Max's long driveway and when he did so, he just shook his head and looked over at Fay. Sitting smack-dab along the edges of the driveway were a dozen or so more cats but the only difference between these cats and the ones that were sprawled all over his truck were that these cats were covered in scars, skinny as rails and scruffy looking. And the scruffiest and skinniest of them all was none other than Tomfoolery, sitting on fence as calm as can be with his crooked tail swaying from side to side like a pendulum.

"Let me guess…they're yours?" Grandpa Emerson said as he looked over at Fay with a raised eyebrow. Fay returned the look with one of her own and she just shrugged nonchalantly before planting a kiss on the back of Figaro's stripped head.

"They are the friends of a few friends." She said as she opened the side door and waited until all the other cats had jumped out before she carefully stepped out of the raised truck, using her cane to steady herself as she did so. Grandpa Emerson just snorted and let himself out as Fay moved to the back of the truck and started to help some of the cats down while the others just leapt onto the gravel drive, ears perked forward as they looked around cautiously. Grandpa Emerson looked around carefully, taking note that his daughter's car was still here but Max's flashy red corvette was nowhere to be found.

"So how are we going to kill Max? How do we even know he's here?" He asked Fay as he stepped to the side as the cats began to mile around his feet as they started towards the white fence, tails held high and fur puffed out as they picked up the indistinguishable scent of a canine on the premise.

"We're not here to kill Max. We're here to kill someone else." Fay replied as she headed towards the gate with the forty or so cats padding behind her like rats following the Pied Piper, barely making a single sound. Fay stopped when she came up to Tom and Grandpa Emerson just stood back and watched as the two seemed to converse for a moment in a way that he didn't understand and nor did he want to. So instead he just crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the rusty hood of his trusty truck and decided that he'd sit this round out.

"Thanks Tom." Fay said as she ruffled her familiar's ears before she reached down and unlatched the wooden gate and swung it inwards. No one moved as the gate banged loudly against the wooden fence, everyone waiting to see what would happen when their presence was finally noticed and they didn't have to wait long. A booming bark erupted from behind a potted shrub as Thorn came running pell-mell from the backyard, growling and barking in warning as his gold and silver dog tags jingled with each step. Max's hellhound skidded to a stop in front of the front door as he lowered his head and pressed his ears back, growling loudly as the fur along his spine bristled. Instead of backing off, Fay just looked the dog in the eye and smiled, giving him a toothy grin that set him off like a lit fuse. With his eyes flashing dangerously, the vicious dog came galloping towards Fay, drool flying in strings as he bared his teeth and snapped at the air, barking like mad. Stupid dog.

"_Raaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr,"_ Figaro growled as he planted himself in front of Fay, his sleek coat standing on end as he pressed his ears back and hissed at Thorn. He had not forgotten what that damn devil dog had done to Fat Cat and the others or what he had almost done to him. Tomfoolery stepped up beside Figaro, standing tall as he glared down his scarred nose with his one eye, sneering as Thorn came pounding forward like a thunderbolt. Elvis, who had never seen a hellhound much less met Thorn, would not be left out and sprang into position on Figaro's right, his thick tail wagging back and forth as he hissed and spat for all he was worth. Three prissy housecats against one angry hellhound was no match and Thorn closed the gap between himself and the cats, hell-bent on tearing fur from flesh but whoever said that cats were smarter than dogs were damn well right.

"_It's payback time mutt."_ Tom meowed in feline as Thorn let out a shuddering snarl and launched himself at Fay and the three cats, jaws held wide as he aimed for a lethal bite.

_RAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR! _

_REEEEAAAAAAAARRRRRRROOOOOOOWWWWW!_

_HISSSSSSSSSSSSSS! _

_MEEEEERRRRRRRRR! _

The fur flew. Thorn never made it to Figaro, Tom and Elvis. When he went airborne so did forty other cats and the hellhound was knocked backwards, paws over tail under a wall of fur and claws as Tom lead the charge once again, leading the cats to battle against the greatly hated hound of hell. Fay backed away a few steps as she and Henry watched the cats literally rip the hound to pieces, neither of them saying a single word. Tom hung gamely off of Thorn's left ear, shredding it to ribbons with the other alley cats went for the neck and stomach, clawing, scratching and biting while Figaro and the housecats ripped the fur out of Thorn's tail and ravaged his unprotected backside with their claws. It was vicious, it was brutal and it was bloody. Soon the walkway was littered with the torn bodies of cats as well as carpeted with Thorn's white fur and blood, but no matter how viciously the dog fought, the cats attacked twice has hard and three times as savagely. The utter hate and loathing that was shared between the animals was plain to see and the fact that these animals could hate one another so deeply was really unnerving. A few minutes into the battle, Thorn slipped in a puddle of his own blood and went down hard on his muzzle and when that happened the cats swarmed all over him, using their combined weight to keep him pinned to the wooden boards. Once he was down, he never got back up.

"Fay, a bunch of cats may be able to kill a hellhound, but they won't be able to kill a head vampire." Grandpa Emerson said as he turned away from the grizzly scene and looked over at Fay, whose eyes were glued onto the writhing mass that was what was left of Max's loathsome companion.

"We'll see." Was all she said.


	22. Chapter 21

Hey everyone. 

Well, here it is. The last official chapter of the story. Now you know how the Lost Boys ends, well Fay's version anyways. Man I didn't expect that writing this thing would be so hard, I guess I just didn't want it to end ya know? Well there's still the Epilogue where I will explain all the questions that this chapter leaves unanswered but it's not the same. Ah well, I better finish this sooner or later if I ever want to get the sequel up and you can't have a sequel to an unfinished story now can you? Truth be told some of the stuff that goes on in this chapter was completely unexpected...seriously. I had not idea that it would turn out the way it did. I'm iffy about a few things but if I ever change anything, I'll let you all know.

Also, you can check out what the cats look like as well as Fay herself if you visit my webpage. The link is up in my profile but I will warn you, there are a few spolier pictures in there. (Wink)

Happy Reading

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_Well, while Henry and I were taking care of Max's hellhound, David and the others were sent to hell in a hand basket to put it bluntly. Paul went out with a bang, remodeling the Emerson's bathroom as well as their kitchen after having been knocked into a bathtub full of holy water. Dwayne was taken out with an arrow to the chest…before he stumbled back into the stereo system and ended up being blown to crispy bits by a surging electrical current. And David, stupid idiot that he is, was impaled upon a pair of Oryx horns by none other than Michael himself. Honestly, out of the four of them I think that only Marko managed to die somewhat decently. Four guys, four different causes of death, and yet none of them could die properly. I swear I think that those four were put onto this earth just to make my life difficult. Don't believe me? See for yourself and then we'll see whose right. _

"What the hell is going on here?" A deep voice asked as Max and Lucy hurry into the house and stopping just short of tripping over pieces of what was once a side table and a coat rack. Sam and the two Frog brothers hurried over in hopes of drawing the adults' attention away from the wreckage but despite their best efforts it took Lucy a matter of seconds to take everything in and start a barrage of questions that no one seemed to want to answer right away.

"What happened? Sam? Where's Michael?" Lucy asked as she stared down at the three teenaged boys, two of who were covered in some sort of reddish gook while Sam bodily tried to usher her into the dinning room, as far away from Michael and the bodies as he could possibly get her.

"Mom I think we have to have a heavy talk about something. Do you remember the time last year when Michael and I got into that food-fight?" He stammered as he looked over his shoulder for a split second to see Max cross the living room and walk into Grandpa's taxidermy shop. He couldn't do anything about that right now. Right now he had to come up with some sort of explanation to keep his mother off of Michael's back and despite his best effort, he was failing miserably. A food fight? Come on!

"This isn't about any food-fight. I'm the head Frog here, I should do the explaining." Edgar growled as he waved his arms to catch Sam's mother's attention in an attempt to save the situation. The fact that his brother was talking at the same time as he was wasn't helping the cause and neither was Sam's really lame on-the-spot excuse. When in doubt call in the cavalry and right now he was that cavalry. After having caught her attention, more of which he figured was geared towards Paul's remains and his camo face paint, Edgar quickly assessed the situation and dived right into his own version of what had happened.

"You see Mrs. Emerson, what happened in this house was nothing. You are lucky that my brother and I took the pervasive actions that we did because if we hadn't, your entire family would have ended up as vamp food and that is something that I, I mean we, could not let happen." Edgar said before he was cut off by his brother who went on a five second speed-speech about how a trashed house was nothing to get alarmed about when it came to saving the world from the forces of evil and before he could finish, Lucy narrowed her eyes and glared at the three boys, instantly shutting them up without saying a word.

"Mom listen…" Sam began before his mother turned away from the three of them and headed back into the living room.

"No. Not another word until I talk with Michael." Lucy ordered as she stormed into the wrecked room. Enough was enough. Forces of evil, demolished homes and chaos was not her idea of a plausible explanation. Oh wait until she got her hands on Michael! That boy had a lot of explaining to do…_a lot._ However, what she hadn't expected was for Max to suddenly apologize for all of this and when he did she just stopped where she was and stared at him, not quite getting at what he was saying. His fault? His boys? What was going on? Before Lucy could get a straight answer out of Max, Sam appeared by her side and claimed that Max was some sort of head vampire thing while the Frog brothers crowded around the two of them, scowling darkly at the video store owner as they tried to figure out how Max could possibly be said head vampire. Lucy started to chastise her son but the sudden and unprecedented appearance of a strange girl quickly changed her mind. Before she could even find out the girl's name Sam and his friends went on accusing Max of being a vampire and passing some sort of test and at that point Lucy had had all that she could take and her patience snapped like a dry twig.

"What? Has everyone gone crazy? What's the matter with all of you?" She demanded as she looked at them all, trying to figure out if this was some sort of twisted joke that they were all in on and they would suddenly turn around and laugh now that it was up. But sadly no one was laughing. Lucy looked up at Max with a confused, questioning look as she waited for him to try to sort all of this out.

"It was you who I was after all along Lucy. I knew that if I could get Sam and Michael into the family, there would be no way you could say no." Well that was helpful. Max had a family? Either he was divorced and didn't tell her or else he was still married and that was a thought that started to make Lucy Emerson's blood boil. Her family had gone through enough with the divorce and now this? If this was some sort of sick way of getting her to marry Max, she would have none of it. Max had another thing coming if he thought he could manipulate her like that. Despite all these thoughts that ran through her head, Lucy's expression was still one of guarded puzzlement and suspicion, one that Max ignored as he continued to reveal his master plan.

"It was all going to be so perfect Lucy. Like one big happy family. Your boys…and mine." Max said as he slowly turned his head to the side, looking away from Lucy and Sam and coming to rest his gaze on the impaled figure of David, who lay like a dark shadow among the bleached white bones of Grandpa's workshop. "But I still want you Lucy. I haven't changed my mind about that."

Lucy, Sam, Edgar and Allan all screamed in unison when Max turns back to face them. His hideous face split into a huge grin, jagged fangs flashing in the faint firelight looking like something that came out of the darkest regions of Edgar Allan Poe's deranged mind. The Frog brothers took a step back, putting Sam's mother between themselves and the terrifying head vampire as they clutched their water guns like dying men hanging onto a broken spar in a storm swept ocean, too scared to move and couldn't for the life of them look away from the face of ancient evil. David and his cronies had been ghoulish enough, but this…the comic books never said anything about this!

"I didn't invite you in this time _Max_." Michael growled as he stepped out of the dim red light of the workroom, standing in plain sight of everyone as he narrowed his feral eyes into dangerous slits. Lucy was rendered momentarily speechless when she saw her son…or what had been her son and if it hadn't been for Sam's reassuring squeeze, she might have just fainted dead way. But Lucy Emerson was made of tougher stuff.

"Michael?" She whispered, looking from her son's morphed face and up to Max's own, seeing the similarity. My god…this couldn't be happening. Max turned and sneered at Michael, provoking the half vampire to attack him which he thwarted off with a mere flick of his wrist. Grabbing Michael by his arms, he easily pitched him over his head and tossed the boy up and over him while listening with great satisfaction as he heard the splintering of wooden poles and Star's surprised gasp. He was ready for Star when she charged at him with a broken curtain pole; and it was almost pitiful how easy she was to dispatch. Honestly, a mere slip of a girl was no match for his ancient strength and powers and for the life of him he could not figure out why David had been so infatuated with her. A dull cry sounded behind him and he quickly spun on his heels like greased lightning, catching Edgar and Allan across their chests with the broken pole before he shoved them backwards, sending them crashing to the ground amidst all of the debris scattered on the floor as they attempted to rush him with their sad excuses of anti-vampire weaponry. Sam was the next to have a go at him but Max didn't even bother with the twerp. He caught the boy in a headlock and clamped him to his side and no matter how hard Sam struggled Max's grip didn't ease an inch.

"Don't fight Lucy. It's so much better if you don't fight." Max said as he held out his hand to her, giving her a knowing look. They both knew that Lucy could not refuse and at that moment, Maxim Ilion Von Ruben could not have been happier. It had all gone according to plan and he had accomplished what he had set out to do…well almost.

"That's rich, coming from you." Said a voice that caused Lucy to pause, Sam to stop struggling and Max to turn around all at once. Standing by the open doorway was the last person that any of them would have ever expected to see, and that person was Fay.

"Sorry I'm late. I had to see a man about a dog." Fay said calmly as she walked into the house as if the climactic situation didn't bother her in the least bit. Edgar and Allan exchanged a wide-eyed look before they stared back at Fay from where they laid on the floor, watching her dumbstruck as she just casually leaned against her cane with her free hand in the pocket of her sweater, watching them all without batting an eyelash. "Speaking of which, I believe this belongs to you." Fay said as she took her hand out of her pocket and tossed a circle of leather in Max's direction. Six pair of eyes zeroed in on the scuffed leather dog collar that landed in front of Max, inches away from his expensive Italian leather shoes. It took a moment for the meaning to sink in and when it did, Max didn't know what to say. It seemed that Fay had gotten even with what had once been his hellhound Thorn and the meaning behind it rang out loud and clear. You kill her cats she'll kill your dog, end of story. You kill her boys, well…Max looked up to see Fay smiling coldly as she stared right back at him without a speck of fear in those hard honey-brown eyes.

"That's the price you pay for pissing off a Prima." Fay said with a small nod of her head. As she did so, she caught sight of David lying as dead as a doornail on a pile of animal bones, causing her expression hardened like ice as her grip tightened on the silver jaguar handle of the cane. The look she shot Max when she turned her head forward to face him was every bit as frightening and blood-curdling as the one that he had given only moments before and for the first time in a very long while, Max actually felt afraid.

"You never should have come to Santa Carla Von Reuben and you _never_ should have tried to beat us down. You know the funny thing about lions is Max… they never hunt alone." She said, David's icy smirk appearing on her lips for a moment as she stared Max down, not taking her eyes off of him until the last possible moment when she raised her gaze to eye something behind the vampire.

"HOLY…" Edgar shouted, which was instantly followed by Allan's, "SHIT!" The two looked up in awe and fear as Michael came to and peered down from the second floor, ready to spring at Max. But instead of pouncing on the head vampire, he just froze where he was with his mouth hanging open, not quite believing what he was seeing. Behind Max the stuffed rearing male lion that looked like it was about to rip someone's head off shook its head slowly as it started to move and just as Max began to turn around to see what danger loomed behind him, the once dead king of beasts struck, planting its huge clawed paws on Max's broad shoulders and bit down as hard as it could on the base of his neck all without uttering a single sound. Sam yelped as he wormed his way free from Max and stumbled back a couple of feet, staring wide-eyed as Grandpa's stuffed lion took Max down and it began to tear the head vampire to pieces. Lucy was pulled away by Michael and mother and son watched in utter astonishment as Max tried to fend off the man eating brute that tore his suit to shreds with a single swipe of its massive paw. Throughout the entire time, Fay stood off to the side with a cold scowl on her face as she quietly muttered something over and over again under her breath as the lion did what she herself could not. Henry had been right. A bunch of cats were no match for a head vampire, but one really big one was. Within moments it was all over. With a squelching "crunch" Max's head rolled away from his body and it was soon followed by an arm as the lion locked its jaws, bit to the bone and ripped away pieces of what had once been the greatest tyrant to ever cross Santa Carla's borders.

"Do you mind if I do the honours?" Grandpa gleefully said as he walked calmly into the living room carrying a pointed wooden pole over his shoulder that measured a meter in length. Fay nodded her head and she snapped her fingers to get the ravaging lion's attention. Without a thought, the lion slowly moved off of Max and walked stiffly towards Fay, its glass eyes staring in her direction but not seeing her. After all the lion was dead and had been so for a number of years.

"Good job Samson." Fay congratulated the lion as she carefully lowered herself to her knees and when the lion reached her it rested its chin against her left shoulder, the sides of their faces pressed up against one another in a feline form of thanks. Fay stroked the big cat's mane and kissed it on its bloodied muzzle as it slowly sank to the floor, spreading its limbs out to take up its leaping position once more. Peeling its lips back in a silent snarl, the lion stiffened and whatever it was that had given it life for those few minutes vanished, leaving the lion as stiff and lifeless as it had been only moments ago.

"Thanks nonna." Fay whispered quietly as she looked up at nothing, smiling softly to herself as she felt a familiar presence leave the room. With the Prima's, family always comes through for one another, no matter what. Alive or dead, the Prima's were always there to lend a helping hand when needed. Sometimes more…it's an Italian thing.

"Try to hurt my daughter and grandkids while I'm still alive eh? That's just damn well disrespectful." Grandpa snorted as he plunged the wooden pole into Max's torso, finishing off the head vampire once and for all. With that, the old man dusted his hands off and stepped over Max's disintegrating body and headed towards the kitchen while he ignored everyone. He nor Fay said a single word while the others checked each other over, making sure that they were all in one piece and alive. While Grandpa slipped into the kitchen, Fay carefully rose to her feet and gave the room a once over, searching for something.

"_Over here_." Mewled a small voice that quickly caught her attention. Quickly looking over to where the Emersons and the Frogs were rejoicing at Max's defeat, Fay slipped quietly over to where Figaro stood cautiously sniffing at the charred remains of what had once been Dwayne. The gray tabby looked up at Fay with what could only be recognized as a look of sorrow on his furry face as he nudged Dwayne's severed hand with his paw. Fay's face remained unreadable as she knelt down and carefully removed the silver ring that was practically fused to his left ring finger while Figaro placed both of his paws on her arm in order to press his nose against her chin. Fay scratched him on the back of his striped head and let him lick away the tears that spilled from the corners of her eyes as she stared down at the charred remains of her now deceased lover and good friend. When Nanook came running down the stairs followed by Laddie, Fay looked up but not at the smiling figures of Star and Michael. Quietly slinking down the wooden steps like a professional cat burglar was the ragamuffin Tomfoolery carrying a spiked metal circlet in his mouth. The one-eyed cat went unnoticed as he prowled over to Fay and dropped Paul's bracelet at her feet. The spiked bracelet was the only thing of Paul's that had not been reduced to a liquid state when Nanook had pushed the vampire into the bathtub full of holy water. Tom rubbed his face against Fay's knee before he looked over his shoulder and hissed viciously at the malamute as the dog eyed the two cats in curiosity. Nanook whimpered and backed away and quickly followed Sam and his family into the kitchen, knowing that it was not safe to stay in a room as the alley cat at the moment.

"The one thing about livin' in Santa Carla I never could stomach. All the damn vampires." Grandpa snorted before he took a swing of his root beer and looked around the trashed kitchen with an amused expression on his face. Lucy, Michael and Sam simply stared at him with the same stunned look on their faces as the refrigerator door closed, so that when Grandpa saw them he couldn't help but laugh.

"You knew about the vampires?" Edgar asked as he carefully stepped into the kitchen, trying his best not to brush up against any of Paul's gooey remnants that were oozing off the walls. Grandpa simply looked at him and took another swing out of the chilled bottle, taking his time before he answered.

"Yep." He burped, scratching the side of his face with his free hand as he stepped away from refrigerator and headed back into the living room with everyone following him, watching his every move.

"Then why didn't you do anything Grandpa?" Sam asked, looking at Michael who was just as confused as he was. Star and Laddie moved out of Grandpa's way as the old man righted a wooden chair that was lying on its side and sat down, loosening the collar of his shirt as he did so.

"Do anythin'? Hell, I'm retired. It's no longer my job to do anythin'. Eh, you boys did alright." The old man said, looking about his destroyed home and couldn't help but sigh. This was going to be one hell of a cleaning job.

"Alright? Mr. Emerson, we kicked some serious vampire ass!" Allan said as he and his brother exchanged a high five, feeling at least ten feet tall due to their victorious battle with Paul. Grandpa snorted and managed to cover his laugh by downing half of the root beer in one go.

"No you didn't." Grandpa said as he smacked his lips. He turned slightly in his chair and nodded over at Fay who had moved away from what was left of Dwayne and was now sitting beside Samson the lion while petting Figaro with one hand and Tomfoolery with the other as she ignored everyone and everyone that wasn't feline. "She did."

"What?" Michael said, looking at the woman who seemed to be completely unaware of their existence before he exchanged a disbelieving look with his brother. Lucy stood there, wringing her hands together as she tried to make sense of everything that she had just seen and heard. She looked down at her father and could do no more than shake her head. This was just too confusing.

"No she didn't. We did…didn't we?" Sam said, looking over at the two Frog brothers who were giving Fay the evil eye. How dare someone else take credit for their work! And after all their planning, hard work and effort…it was unthinkable.

"This was all her idea." Grandpa said, finishing off the root beer before he tossed the bottle over his shoulder and listened with some satisfaction as it shattered on the floor.

"What!" Edgar, Allan, Sam and Michael cried in unison, taken completely by surprise.

"Her idea? Her idea! What the hell does that mean!" Edgar and Michael said at the same time, Michael looking over at his grandfather while Edgar raised his water pistol, aiming it at Fay. If this was her idea, then it only meant one thing. The freaky cat lady was a vampire!

"Put that away boy. I'm not a vampire." Fay muttered darkly when she finally raised her head and calmly looked at them all. Allan raised his water gun as well, both brothers ready to drench her if she so much as moved while Sam yanked a wooden stake from Edgar's vest and held it ready. It was Lucy who quickly stepped in before the three boys could do something stupid and it was a good thing she did too because right now Fay wasn't in the mood to play Glinda the Good Witch of the North with the boys who had finished off what was left of her adoptive family.

"Now everyone hang on just for one minute!" Lucy said sternly, taking charge of the situation. "Sam, put that thing down. Dad, I want you to tell me what exactly you mean by this. I think I deserve at least that much in the ways of an explanation." She said, giving everyone the "do as I say right this minute" look, the look that all mothers have the ability to give and get instant results. And this time was no different. "Now, can you tell me who she is? I'm sure she has a name dad." Lucy said, not letting her father off the hook just yet.

"Her name's Fay. She's part of the Lost Boys." Star said quietly, watching Fay as she stood beside Michael with her arms wrapped protectively around Laddie. Their last encounter was still fresh in her mind and Star knew that if given the chance Fay would dump all the blame on her for what happened to David and the others and by doing so would probably end up killing her.

"I don't think I asked you for an introduction." Fay snapped, not bothering to keep the sharp sarcastic edge out of her voice. The corner of her lip twitched when she saw Star flinch slightly. "And yes I am part of the "Lost Boys", but I'm more like the one who cleans up after them." She said with a hollow laugh, hugging Figaro a little tighter as she glowered at them all.

"Then you are a vampire." Edgar growled, raising his water pistol once more and aimed at her despite the fact that she was sitting across the room from them. He was ready for anything but sadly Edgar had not been expecting to have the pistol yanked out of his hands and smacked over the head with it by some unseen force and despite his gruff bearing, he couldn't help but yelp in surprise. "What the hell? What are you?" He asked, bringing his arms up to shield his head from the possessed object that was trying to give him a sound beating. Allan had to jump in and wrestle the water gun away from his brother before it took out an eye and when he succeeded in doing so, it stopped moving.

"What did I just say? No I am not a vampire. Are you hard of hearing?" Fay growled as she kept her eyes on the water gun that attacked Edgar. When it stopped moving, Fay plucked a stray hair off of Figaro's immaculate coat before continuing. "Am I going to have to explain everything?" She asked out loud, her question directed to Grandpa Emerson who was sitting there eyeing the water gun with amusement.

"Yep." Was all Grandpa said as he sat back, relaxed and waited for the fun to begin.

"Thank you Henry. You're so thoughtful." Fay muttered as she used her cane to help hoist herself to her feet. Figaro joined Tom on the floor and sat beside the grizzled alley cat as he began to groom himself, completely unconcerned with what was going on around him. "Well if you must know. I'm a witch. Yes Edgar, witches do exist. No Allan, I do not wear a pointy black hat and fly around on a broomstick. And no Sam, I do not dance naked on a full moon. Honestly, you three should try reading actual books for a change. You know, not everything can be found in a comic book." Fay said before anyone could say anything. She didn't bother to explain to them how she had managed to read their thoughts. Instead, she walked over to Henry Emerson's workshop and looked down at David who had somehow managed to make himself look ten years younger. He certainly was a crafty son-of-a-bitch when he wanted to be.

"Humph!" Fay snorted before she raised her cane and brought it down as hard as she could, slamming the polished ebony shaft across David's knees which got an instant reaction out of him, one that caused everyone in the room to jump a mile, with the exception of Grandpa and Fay of course.

"He's alive? He's alive! Oh my god he's alive! Holy shit! Edgar_ do_ something! He's supposed to be dead! Mike why isn't he dead? Holy shit! Allan shut up! What's going on? HOLY SHIT!" Everyone yelled at once, no one making any sense as Grandpa Emerson just sat there, watching his family and their friends literally freak out. It was really quite funny to see in all honesty.

"_ARRGH_! What was that for!" David cursed as his eyes flew open and he raised his head, glaring up at Fay who stood over him glaring right back. Fay's response was whipping him another blow with her cane that cracked a few ribs, making sure that he groaned in pain. But she didn't stop there. A few more hearty blows followed and each one was accented with a colourful curse as Fay gave the troublesome vampire a sound beating and one that he wasn't going to forget any time soon.

"What do you think?_ Bastardo!_ " Fay snarled at him as she slammed his head back with the tip of her cane so that he was staring right at the back wall instead of at her. Right now the last thing she wanted was to look at those cold leering eyes of his. Fay peered at the two Oryx horns that were protruding from his chest with a sour look and shook her head. How in hells name did Rambo and Rocky over there ever believe that a vampire could be killed with a pair of _gazelle horns? _Gazelle horns! Come on people wake up and smell the decaying bodies here!

"Does it hurt?" She asked David; more out of convenience then sympathy because the expression on her face was anything but sympathetic. It was practically murderous.

"What do _you _think? I'm impaled here." David muttered between clenched teeth as he laid there, absolutely still. He was in no position to do anything and with Fay hovering over him like a guillotine blade ready to drop; he didn't dare move a single muscle. Boy, things had really gotten out of hand and he had a pretty good idea of just what Fay wanted to do to him right about now.

"Is that so?" Fay said, running a finger along one of the bloodied horns before she "accidentally" knocked her hand against it. David clenched his teeth together and tried to bite back a hiss of pain that was a borderline whimper when the horns shifted slightly under the sudden pressure. He felt like a moth pinned to the wall and about just as powerless. All he could do was lay there and hope for a quick death. That would be the most merciful thing anyone could do to him at this point in time because once Fay got her claws on him, he was going to wish that Max had killed him all those months ago.

"What the hell are we waiting for then? He's helpless. Let's finish him off!" Edgar growled but he didn't take more than a few steps before he was speared under Fay's dangerous glare as she let out an honest-to-god snarl that made the amateur vampire hunter's hair stand on end.

"Oh no you don't. He's not getting off that easily." Fay spat as she scowled at the teen which was the signal for Edgar to back the hell off, which he did without further argument. If the woman could snarl like a friggen tiger, he wanted nothing to do with her. Figaro and Tomfoolery were both glaring up at the small group, daring them to try to get past them. "And you, you can stay there for all I care." Fay said to David as she turned her back to him and walked back into the trashed living room, ignoring David's growl of protest.

"Alright Mrs. Emerson. You want an explanation? Fine, I'll explain. I'm a witch, David's a vampire and sadly we're friends, if that's what you can even call it. And that pile of ash over there that's soiling this floor is none other than the extremely hated Maxim Ilion Von Rueben, alias your boyfriend Max. He came here over a year ago and turned Santa Carla upside down. He's the one we were after the entire time. Why? Because when he decided to set up shop here he had to make sure that David and the others, the others being those charred remains to your left and all that gunk that's decorating your kitchen, wouldn't cause any problems. So in order to make Santa Carla his cozy new estate, he broke my back, beat the shit out of David and became the Head Vampire. Don't ask me what a head vampire is, your son and his tactless friends can fill you in on that later. So, after being holed up in a hospital for two months, I figured out a plan to get rid of Max and before I say more, it involved you. _All of you_." Fay said as she speared each and everyone one of the Emersons and Frogs with a meaningful look before she continued on with her explanation.

"Like I said before, I'm a witch. Ok? Everyone get that? Good. So as I witch I have powers and one of my "powers" is that I am able to foresee certain future events. Like the death of the vampires here. So one night I get this vision and I see everything as it is now and I freak, knowing that I had to do something to stop the vision from coming true. Now you are all probably asking yourselves why in hells name would I want to risk my neck for a bunch of devil-eyed, bloodsucking vampires and to tell you the honest to god truth, I don't know. I thought I knew it at the time but now I am not so sure. David shut the fuck up." Fay snarled without bothering to look over her shoulder as David raised his head and was about to say something in protest. The Frog brothers looked at one another for a moment and shrugged before they went back to watching Fay pace up and down in front of them, talking a mile a minute.

"So anyways, I knew that Star was going to be the cause of it all so I used that knowledge and waited and waited and waited. For what? For you three to come to Santa Carla. That's right Michael, I knew you were coming just as I knew that somehow your brother was going to meet up with Frick and Frack over here and go off on some sort of glory goose chase for the greater good of man kind, "truth, justice and the American way" and all that crap. Pardon my French. You see people, you played a key role in helping us…me get rid of Max. Max was a power point and the last thing that he would ever expect to be a threat to him was a bunch of naive teenaged kids, which you are. You guys following me?" She asked them as she paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath to steady herself before she flew completely off the handle.

"Let me get this straight for all of us. So you're saying that you knew that the only way that you could beat Max was through us? And that all of this happened in order for us to kill Max?" Sam asked as Michael frowned darkly as he looked past Fay to where David was lying, listening to every word that they were saying.

"Dude, that's the same question." Edgar growled under his breath as he nudged Sam in the ribs. If Fay noticed Sam's grammatical blunder, she didn't say anything.

"Technically yes." Fay said to Sam as she watched Michael out of the corner of her eye.

"Then why didn't you just ask us for help?" Allan asked as he gave her a suspicious look. Wouldn't it have just been easier for her to ask them for help, after all they were vampire hunters.

"Would you have believed me? Or better yet, would you have wanted to help me because by helping me you would have been helping him." Fay said as she motioned over her shoulder to where David was.

"You're right, we wouldn't." Edgar growled with a small nod of his head.

"So you see where I am coming from." Fay said simply with a small shrug of her shoulders as Elvis came sauntering into the living room through the front entrance. He padded his way between Sam and Edgar and when he did so, he stopped for a moment to sniff Edgar's blood covered pant leg and before Edgar could stop him, the black cat began to lick him.

"Get away from me!" Edgar growled as he kicked the large black cat. A second later he was holding the right side of his face as Fay sprang up in front of him and slapped him good. "What the fuck!" He swore as he backed away quickly, freaked out at how fast the cat lady was.

"Do that again and see what happens pal. I am in no mood for your antics right now." Fay growled before she gave Elvis a look and the black cat quickly scooted to stand beside Tomfoolery, looking very cowed and sheepish at the moment. Fay and Edgar glared at one another for an intense moment before Fay turned and went back to where her cats were, turning her cane over and over in her hands in agitation.

"Wait. So making Mike a half-vampire was a part of the plan as well?" Sam asked as he picked up on something that Fay had left out from her brief explanation. At the question Fay gave a tired sigh and nodded.

"Yes it was. But that didn't work out as it was supposed to." Fay muttered under her breath as she shot David a scathing look, one that he was careful to ignore as he stared up at the ceiling, clearly aware that there were mental death threats being thrown his way.

"Oh yeah? You got that right lady." Allan snorted as he rolled his eyes. Not working out was the biggest understatement ever as far as he was concerned.

"So letting David turn me into a vampire was all right with you?" Michael asked sarcastically as his shoulders tensed in anger. He looked over at Star who couldn't meet his gaze and instead of looking at him lowered her eyes to look at the floor.

"No it wasn't. You were never supposed to become a "vampire" Michael. Half-vampire for a day or two, Max dies, everything goes back to normal, end of story. That was why I had your grandfather keep a close eye on you as well as your mother and her boyfriend. I couldn't be everywhere at once and if Max got even the faintest hint that I was anywhere near you guys, he would have known that something was up and then we all would have ended up deader than doornails. Hence the reason why your grandfather kept having dates with the "Widow Johnson." I had to know what was going on on this side of the fence somehow and Henry was gracious enough to come visit me to keep me updated." Fay said as she nodded to Grandpa Emerson who just rolled his eyes. Great, now she was bringing him into this.

"Grandpa, you were in on this the entire time? And you didn't tell us?" Sam said as he looked at his grandfather in surprise and confusion. His grandfather had known of what was going on and didn't offer to even _drive_ them anywhere? Well it did explain a lot though because Sam was sure that his grandfather would have questioned some of his behavior during the past few days if he hadn't known that they were dealing with vampires.

"Well, you know what they say. Once a vampire hunter, always a vampire hunter even for an old broken down fart like me." Grandpa Emerson chuckled dryly as he ran a hand over his tied back hair as everyone turned to watch him, waiting for answers.

"Sam's right Grandpa. You should have told us." Michael said with a shake of his head.

"What? Tell you? And have you two shooting your mouths off? Ha, I don't think so. The last thing we wanted was for _him_ to find out what was really going on." Grandpa Emerson snorted as he leaned back in his chair and scratched his chin, unruffled by the intense stares that were coming his way.

"Dad, you were a…a vampire hunter?" Lucy spoke up, finally making sense of it all. She was having a hard time trying to believe it all but the evidence was right there in front of her and there was no way that she could deny it. But her father being a vampire hunter? That was kind of hard to believe.

"Yep, back in the early days when I was young and sprightly. It was me, Fay's grandmother and a good friend of mine. We were around your age Sam. Things changed though when I met your mother." Grandpa Emerson said with a small sigh as the memory of his wife popped back into his mind. Everything had changed when he had fallen for Lucy's mother. He gave up his monster hunting ways and settled down, as did Frank Grisham and Eleanor Prima but that was too long ago to bring up now.

"So you can see that we knew exactly what we were doing. Everything was going according to plan, it was foolproof. But then _someone_ got jealous." Fay interjected, drawing their attention back to her as she casually looked over her shoulder at David, who just closed his eyes and muttered something under his breath. You could have heard a pin drop in that living room because it had become so silent.

"Oh, so now this is all my fault right?" David growled, not bothering to open his eyes as the evil glares of pure hate tried to reduce him to a pile of ash. What else could he do? He was impaled on a pair of horns and wasn't going anywhere unless someone decided to help him free himself, which no one wanted to do.

"I don't believe this." Michael snorted in distaste as he looked at everyone. The shit that he had gone through was nearly indescribable and suddenly it was simply alright for this woman to get away with everything? After all _she had planned all of this hadn't she?_ Michael was having a hard time believing that what she was saying was the truth because who was to stay that she didn't "plan" for him to succumb to the temptation of blood while in his half-vampire state?

"Well you better start believing it boy because it's the truth, whether you like it or not. David was supposed to do everything within his power to keep you from making your first kill and had I known what he was up to, I would have put an end to it. But as you can see I am not God, I don't know everything and yes David this is _all your fault you moronic, self-centered asino! Sonno idiota e pazzo a mandonne mio!_" Fay barked as if reading Michael's mind before she whirled onto David's case, having left him alone for long enough. She knew that she was walking a fine line here because she had openly admitted to being responsible for all of this, but what they didn't know was that that little evening event at the tree was not her idea. The last thing that she wanted was for another vampire to be included into the fold so under no circumstances whatsoever was Michael allowed to make his first kill. God knows how many times she had drilled that into David's head. She had had no clue as to what David had been planning due to the fact she had been unable to meet up with the boys for the past couple of days. She had trusted that the boys would have learned from their past mistakes and follow the plan to the letter. Sometimes those that you put your faith in can greatly disappoint you.

"Are you finished yet? _Argh!_" David yelped as the silver handle of Fay's cane came crashing down collar bone with enough force behind it to bruise him. It would seem that Fay was only getting warmed up.

"NO I AM NOT FINISHED YOU _NAUSEANTE, DISONORE PORCO!_ I HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED!" Fay screamed, wailing on David like never before. No one made a move to stop her as she flailed at the vampire with her cane, probably because no one was stupid enough to get within five feet of her. Whether it was the fact that the impact of what had happened that night had finally caught up with her or that she could no longer maintain her forced calmness over the deaths of the Boys, Fay finally snapped. On a scale from one to ten, Fay hit a Mount Vesuvius of a ten in a matter of five seconds and David got the full impact of the eruption and was completely helpless to do anything about it, even when Fay reached down and literally _pulled him off of the horns_.

"Dwayne's _dead _David. HE'S _DEAD_! SO ARE PAUL AND MARKO! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? THEY ARE NOT COMING BACK AND THEY ARE NOT COMING BACK BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN PETTY JELAOUSY YOU STUPID SON-OF-A-BITCH! I WARNED YOU! I WARNED YOU THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN BUT YOU DIDN'T LISTEN! YOU _NEVER_ LISTEN! THEY WOULDN'T HAVE DIED IF YOU HAD DONE WHAT I TOLD YOU TO DO IN THE FIRST PLACE. _YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF THEM!_ BUT THEY'RE DEAD AND GOD-DAMN IT IF I DON'T SEND YOU TO HELL MYSELF TO JOIN THEM!" Fay screamed like a lunatic as she unsheathed her cane as David leapt backwards, breaking her hold on his jacket as he kept a safe distance between himself and Fay. David snarled a warning as Fay hissed at him, the two of them facing off in the middle of the Emerson's living room, completely forgetting that the Emersons' and Frogs were watching as the long-awaited dispute for authority unfolded in front of their very eyes. Sam couldn't stop himself from staring slack-jawed when Fay's face took on a more feline appearance while Allan yanked out a comic that was safely tucked in the waistband of his jeans as he and Edgar quickly scanned the pages to see if there was anything in the comic that dealt with stopping crazy cat women. Star grabbed Laddie and pulled him behind her while Michael stepped off to the side, carefully making his way over to where the broken coat rack was laying on the floor.

"Dad you have to stop this!" Lucy said to her father just as Fay lunged at David, the sword jabbing for a direct hit to his chest while the vampire ducked and stepped away before he snagged the busted curtain pole that Star had used to rush Max with and kicked it up into his hands. The impact of steel on wood sounded as David blocked Fay's lung and pushed her back, using the curtain pole as a make-shift quarterstaff.

"Stop this? Are you crazy! There is no stoppin' this. This has to happen if we're ever gonna get a moments peace in this town. The only thing we can do is sit and watch and hope that the vampire doesn't win." Grandpa said sagely as he watched David and Fay come together once more, standing a hairsbreadth apart as they strained against their locked weapons, each one trying to shove the other backwards. Despite his monotone tone, the serious look on his face told Lucy that it was more than likely that the troublesome vampire was going to end up being the victor of this one-on-one free-for-all if someone didn't step in to do anything to put an end to it. Lucy bit her lower lip as she looked around to see if there was anything she could use to separate the two but unless she wanted to get within spearing rang of them, there was nothing. Unless…

"Nanook." She said when she laid eyes on the dog. The malamute looked up at Lucy with his ears pressed back in fear, while he backed away with his tail tucked between his legs. The cause of his uneasiness was the hissing and spitting forms of Tomfoolery and Elvis, who were eyeing him as they waited for the dog to make one wrong move.

"Mike, what are you doing?" Sam whispered when he saw Michael slowly pick up a broken hat rack, his eyes never leaving David. The eldest of the Emerson brothers ground his teeth together as he got a better grip on the wooden shaft, getting a feel for it before he began to edge his way cautiously towards the two combatants. He had thought he had killed David when he threw him onto the pile of animal horns but this time he wasn't going to make the same mistake. If wood was the only way to kill a vampire then he was going to use it without thinking twice.

"Michael no. Michael get away from them." Star hissed under her breath, unwilling to get any closer to David and Fay as she watched Michael creep closer and closer, the jagged end of the rack held ready like a spear.

"It ends now." Michael said between clenched teeth as he waited for the moment to strike. Fay and David were completely unaware that Michael was close to them as they backed away from one another and circled each other warily, sizing one another up in order to figure out where each other's vulnerable spots were. David was stronger than Fay, but after that battle with Michael he wasn't in peak fighting form, but like they say, a wounded animal is a dangerous animal. What Fay lacked in physical strength she made up in sheer willpower and anger, matching David blow for blow but it was only a matter of time before the adrenaline wore off and when that happened, things were going to get a lot more difficult. Orange eyes met yellow eyes as Fay and David snarled simultaneously at one another, egging each other on to make the next move and as they did so Michael lifted his right arm and raised the spear over his shoulder, aiming it at David's chest as he tensed his arm and put his whole body into the throw.

"_REEEEEEAAAAAAAARRRRRRR!"_ Howled a high-pitched voice as Figaro galloped towards Michael and threw himself at the teenager, claws out as the gray tabby leapt up and attacked Michael's face just as Michael launched his make-shift spear. Thinking that Michael was trying to kill Fay the gray cat went berserk as he mauled the guy with everything he had and didn't stop even when Michael fell backwards under the onslaught. Luckily for David, Figaro's sudden attack caused Michael's aim to be off and instead of spearing the vampire where he stood the coat rack missed him by a few inches and embedded itself harmlessly into the far wall.

"MIKE!" Sam shouted as he rushed to his brother's aid, his cry catching the attention of the two Frogs and all it took was one look before Edgar and Allan went into action. Allan shoved Sam out of the way as Edgar ran at Michael and lashed out with his foot, his boot making contact with the tabby's side and with a grunt he sent the cat flying into the fireplace. Touchdown Frogs!

"FIG!" Fay screeched, her cat's sudden yowl of pain catching her attention and for a split second she took her eyes off of David to see what peril had befallen her faithful companion. Seeing his moment David leapt at Fay, sweeping his left arm to the side in order to knock the sword cane from her hand as he lashed out with his right, nailing a blow to the chest that sent Fay crashing to the ground. With a harsh bellow David was on Fay as he fought to keep her pinned to the floor. Fay thrashed about yowling and shrieking as she tried to fend off David with one arm while trying to reach her cane with the other but despite her best efforts the cane was too far for her to reach.

"Oh my god." Lucy gasped as David's teeth flashed in the dim red light of her father's shop, knowing what was about to come. Grandpa Emerson grit his teeth together, his hands balled at his side as he willed Fay to knock David off of her before the vampire struck. It was a split second but to David and Fay it felt like an hour. Eyes locked together, teeth bared, both knowing what was coming next, the two opponents paused for a moment as they both wondered why this had to happen but a heartbeat later that moment was gone. Tom and Elvis ran towards David but even with eight legs between them they would never make it on time as David's grip on Fay's shoulders tightened and he lowered his face so that they were practically touching.

"It's over." David growled as he pulled back his lips in order for Fay to get a good look at what _over_ meant. Fay had challenged him for the right to lead the Boys and now he was going to finish what they had started all those months ago. That was the way of the vampire, kill or be killed. Fay's eyes never left David's as she plunged her hand onto the pocket of her sweater, frantically searching for something and when her hand enclosed over the sharp spikes of Paul's bracelet, she gritted her teeth as she grabbed it for all she was worth, forcing the spikes into the palm of her hand. Her family was dead because of David, but David was family. Squeezing her eyes shut Fay wrenched her hand out of her pocket just as David went for her throat. In her minds eye she could see them all standing there behind David, Dwayne, Paul and Marko, but behind them was a serious faced figure of an old woman who just shook her head. It was her grandmother. Fay felt David's teeth on her throat and as his fangs pricked the side of her neck, a heart-wrenching cry was heard and for a second, Fay actually thought that it was her grandmother. But it couldn't be, her grandmother was dead…they were all dead. And that's when Fay realized the truth behind the death of the boys.

"_Murderer."_ Fay rasped as David sunk his teeth into her neck. Before his fangs pierced the main artery, David stopped himself. It could have been out of surprise at Fay's accusation or maybe it was the fact that the claws of her right hand were embedded in his own throat, gripping him with everything she had.

"Murderer." Fay gasped once more as she squeezed, drawing blood from the wounds that she was inflicting as she pushed him back with all her strength, wincing in pain as she pried David's teeth out of her neck. But she didn't stop there. The truth of the boys death stoked the embers of the raging fire that had kept her fighting moments ago and unknowing how she did it, Fay was suddenly standing upright while she held David by his neck, squeezing harder and harder.

"You murderer!" Fay growled as David brought his hands up to snap her arm and break her hold. He struck but Fay's hand never released the hold on his neck, instead she just squeezed even harder.

"_You have no idea."_ David gasped harshly as he glared at her, the hatred he held for her coming off him in waves. Tomfoolery and Elvis prowled back and forth, their ears pressed back in agitation as they watched Fay and David but didn't know what to do. Sprawled on his side in the sooty fireplace, Figaro mewled pitifully as he tried to drag himself out of the smoldering remains of what had once been a crackling fire and if it hadn't been for Lucy's swift actions, the faithful tabby would have been covered in third degree burns.

"Why?" Fay demanded through clenched teeth as she shook him slightly while planting her left hand on the back of his head and forced him to come closer. Her face was normal once again but the look in her eyes was anything but human.

"_You._" David spat, his eyes narrowed into slits as he stopped struggling against Fay's death grip. It would seem Fay was smarter than he thought. It took her a while and the point of death before she figured it out, but she figured it out. What she had mistaken for petty jealousy was David's own scheming cleverness. Mess up the plan just enough to cause a ripple effect without alerting anyone and you kill two birds with one stone.

"_HOW COULD YOU!"_ Fay screamed as she bodily threw David away from her as if she had scorched herself by touching him. She looked down at her injured hand that was covered in both their blood before she looked back at him, confusion and disgust etched into her features. She knew he hated her…but to do this?

"Oh don't act so surprised Fay, it was easy. We work together to kill Max and everyone thinks we're on the same side. No questions asked. Michael falls for Star _just like you had said_ and everyone thinks I'm jealous. I play the part of the pissed off pack leader and do something stupid in order to get at Michael. All I had to do then as just prod them in the right direction and watch it all play out. Marko dies, Dwayne and Paul go for vengeance and I bide my time. The boys die, Max dies, everyone lives happily ever after because there is no one here to stop me from killing you. All's fair in love and war Fay." David said with a harsh laugh as he rose to his feet, one hand clutching his injured throat as he glared at Fay who just stood there, staring at him.

"That night that Max attacked you, the others showed where their true allegiance lay and as you can see, it wasn't with me. I may have created them but I sure as hell wasn't leading them. Max was right, women are nothing but unwanted complications. So I took the cautionary measures to make sure that when the time came, there would be no loose ends or unwanted interruptions." David said as he took his gaze off of Fay and looked over at Michael and Star, his cruel smirk emphasizing the coldness in his blue eyes. Star stepped back in fear as Michael glared right back, the disgust he felt for David was clear as day on his face.

"So you let them to die just so that you could have a clear shot at killing me? David, how stupid are you? Max couldn't kill me so what makes you think that you could?" Fay asked as she looked over to where Max's ashy remains were before looking back at David. "He never told you what really happened that night he tried to kill me did he? You'll never beat me David."

"Oh really? And what makes you so sure about that?" The vampire asked as he stepped towards Fay, eyeing her warily when she didn't take a step back. Fay just watched him, shaking her head slightly from side to side as she did so, not wanting to believe that David could be so conniving and deceitful as he claimed to be. But the proof was right in front of her. David was a vampire through and through and Max was right when he thought that David was like the son he never had. They both had the same cruel streak of genius in them that left you shaking where you stood.

"On your knees." Fay spoke up as she carefully lowered herself in order to pick up the sword cane and the hollow shaft, turning her back to David as she did so. Tomfoolery approached David just incase the vampire had any ideas of attacking Fay from behind with Elvis leapt upon the couch deciding that he'd much rather watch what was about to happen from a safe distance.

"What?" David snorted, not sure that he had heard her correctly.

"I said, on your _knees._" Fay repeated herself, this time her voice carrying a hard edge that had not been there before. She sheathed the blade and locked the shaft into place before she used her cane to hoist herself back up to her feet and as she did so, she spun around on the balls of her feet, whipping the cane around so fast that it was nothing but a blur before she froze where she stood, the silver jaguar handle coming to a stop an inch from David's left temple. David blinked in surprise but didn't make any other moments as he regarded Fay for a moment while the expression on his face hardened. No one in the room moved as they all waited for David's response and when he went on bended knee before Fay, no one was more surprised than he was.

"What the?" Allan muttered as he and his brother exchanged a thoroughly confused look before Allan flipped open the comic book once again to quickly read something near the end of the comic. Sam peered over his shoulder as he quietly mouthed the words that were printed on the page and when he had finished reading one part, his frown of confusion was replaced with a look of bewilderment.

"No friggin' way." He said as he looked from the comic and then over at Fay and David and then back at the comic again. The exact same scene that was printed in the comic was standing right before them, the only difference was that the standing character in the comic was the male vampire and the kneeling figure was the subservient female.

"You forget something David, I also have a plan." Fay said her voice dead even as she raised her right hand and turned it palm up, in the universal gesture of peace but it wasn't the gesture that caught everyone's attention. A line of small deep holes seeped small trails of blood from where the spikes of Paul's bracelet had broken through the skin and when Fay had grabbed David by the neck, she had made sure to use her right hand so that David's blood would seep into the wounds. Seeing this David growled harshly as his eyes narrowed into slits, the full meaning of Fay's bloodied hand making itself obvious and explained why he had automatically done what Fay had told him to do without realizing it. It would seem that he had met his match when it came to cunning because while he had taken a leaf out of Max's book, so had Fay. Fay had preformed a coup de grâce and won through a slight of hand that David had not been expecting…just like Max had done back in the waiting area of St. Michael's hospital over a year ago.

"It looks like we have a new Head Vampire in town. Someone wanna get the bottle of champagne that's in the fridge?" Grandpa said as he took Figaro from his daughter and scratched the cat behind his ears as he nodded to Fay. "S'pect that we won't be havin' a missing persons problem anymore eh Fay?" He asked her as he gave her a coy smile and a knowing look. She was as crafty as her grandmother was and it was no secret either. Eleanor Prima was a woman who had a pet lion back in the day, the now stuffed Samson to be exact, and Fay got all her feline attributes from the one and only Lion Lady herself. The Prima's were a strange and unusual bunch but that's what Henry Emerson loved about them. They had him feel normal.

"So now you're a vampire?" Michael asked Fay as Star carefully dabbed away at the scratches on his face with a piece of her skirt that she had ripped off. Star gave Fay a wide-eyed look before she looked away and went back to cleaning Michael up, least she accidentally set Fay off once more because god knows what kind of temper that girl had. Sam, Edgar and Allan eyed each other out of the corner of their eyes as they slowly went for their weapons once more, trying to keep their actions as subtle as possible.

"Actually I'm not." Fay said, giving David one final look before she turned to face the others. The only reason that prevented Fay from killing David right then and there was the fact that if she did she would be utterly alone and despite the hatred that David had for her and the anger she felt towards him, Fay feared loneliness more than anything right now.

"But you have David's blood in you so doesn't that make you half-vampire?" Sam said as he kept the wooden stake hidden behind his back while Edgar and Allen adjusted their grips on their water guns. Fay picked up on their movements but instead of knocking some sense into them, she just rolled her eyes.

"It would if I were human." Fay said as she stepped to the side when David quickly rose to his feet and walked to where Elvis was sitting on the couch, keeping a good chunk of distance between herself and the vampire.

"You're not human?" Lucy blurted out before she could stop herself and smiled sheepishly when her two sons looked at her. "Well you look human enough to me for a witch that is." Lucy said with a small shrug of her shoulders.

"Yeah, if turning into a cat is something that people do every day mom." Sam snorted as he shook his head and handed his wooden stake back to Edgar.

"Last time I checked witches can't turn themselves into animals or even half animal." Allan said as he holstered his water pistol with a frustrated sigh. Great, they went through all this and still he wasn't going to get the chance to bag a head vampire.

"Which would mean that Cat Woman here isn't your typical witch. What we got here is the classic example of a cat-anthro, half cat, half woman." Edgar summarized briefly as he eyed Fay with renewed interest. Hmmmm…having a genuine Cat Lady in Santa Carla may just not be such a bad thing after all. "Cat Woman can't become a vampire because you can't turn an anthro. It's like this. If a werewolf bit a vampire, the vampire wouldn't suddenly grow fur and howl at the moon because werewolf venom has no effect on a vampire's molecular structure. Just like if a zombie were to…" Edgar stated before Michael cut him off just as he was about to get into the specifics about the differences between zombies and ghouls.

"I think we get it Edgar." Michael said as he gently brushed Star's hand away from his face. "What I want to know is how can you be a head vampire if you're not a vampire yourself? And what does that mean for the rest of us?" He asked as he turned his head slightly to the side, eyeing David with caution.

"What it means is that Fay here now has control over what's left of the Santa Carla vampires even if she isn't sportin' a pair of razor toothed chompers like that guy there because she won the right to lead them and it's a damn good thing for us 'cause now she can finally get these parasites out of our hair for good without causin' a genocide and we can get back to livin' in peace and quiet. It's what your grandma would have wanted and if I remember correctly, wasn't it a great-great aunt of yours that also did the same thing?" Grandpa Emerson said to Fay as he dropped Figaro onto the floor and rose to his feet, stretching as he did so.

"It was my great-great-great-great aunt Rosealia back in the seventeen hundreds to be exact. But eighteenth century Italy is a lot different than twentieth century America. The vampires had more manners back then." Fay muttered as she shooed Elvis off of the couch and motioned to Tom to head for the front door. The one-eyed cat nodded in acknowledgment before he sauntered past everyone and slipped out of the open doorway with Elvis close behind.

"So does this mean that you're leaving Santa Carla for good and never coming back?" Allan asked as he looked from Fay and then to David, wondering if it was possible to dust the vampire without pissing the cat lady off. With the vampires gone, Santa Carla was going to become pretty boring and it looked like he and his brother were going to have to find a new line of work.

"So it would seem. Frankly I'm sick of ocean and if I never laid eyes on it again, I would die a happy woman. Give me a few days and you'll never see us again. Isn't that right David?" Fay asked as she turned her head to the side and gave David an inquiring look, one that he responded to with a dark snarl before he stalked across the living room and went out the front door while everyone moved to the side to get out of his way.

"Serves you right. _Loser_." Edgar muttered in his wake as David left the room but the elder Frog misjudged the acuteness of vampire hearing because as the words left his mouth, David stopped for a moment and turned around to give him a look that he would never forget for the rest of his days.

"I'll see you around." David growled softly as he flashed Edgar a toothy smile that was anything but friendly before he swore something under his breath and stepped out onto the porch, melting instantly with the shadows. Moments later he was gone with a gust of wind that sent dead leaves whirling into the already trashed living room. Edgar swallowed hard as he tried his best to keep his macho marine exterior in place but despite his best efforts it was plain to see that David's little good-bye had unnerved him quite a bit.

"Good one Edgar. What a way to piss him off even more." Sam said as he clasped his friend on his shoulder, really glad that it was Edgar that David was going to hold a grudge against and not him. Edgar just looked at Sam before he shrugged off his friend's hand, not really wanting to be reminded of what he had just done.

"Shut up." He growled sourly as he moved away from Sam and Allan and headed to where Dwayne's fried remains lay. Eyeing what was left of the long haired vampire for a moment he couldn't help but think _I'm fucked_ over and over again. Well, that's the price you pay for fighting evil.

"Well I best be going. We've all been through hell and back and I still have a few things to do before the sun rises. Henry if you could…you know." Fay said as she nodded towards where Edgar was standing as she picked Figaro up off the floor and held him tightly against her. Grandpa Emerson looked over his shoulder and nodded when he saw what Fay was talking about.

"Don't you worry about it Fay, I got it covered. You take care of yourself now. We're sure gonna miss you 'round here." Grandpa Emerson said as he carefully wrapped one arm around Fay's shoulders and gave her a half hug without squashing Figaro in the process. Fay gave him a small, sad smile as she quickly looked around at everyone and then over to where the still form of Samson lay.

"You keep yourself out of trouble and don't worry about me. This cat lady still has a few lives spare." Fay said before she nodded her head and slipped out of Grandpa's embrace, holding Figaro in one arm and the cane in the other. "Did I ever tell you that I really like your work?" Fay said as she eyed the stuffed animal heads that hung on the walls before she turned and picked her way over to the front door with her head down to avoid looking anyone in the eye.

"Just like your grandmother. Stubborn as always." Grandpa Emerson snorted as he shook his head and smiled slightly. Fay couldn't help but smirk softly at his words.

"You wouldn't believe how many people have told me that." Fay said over her shoulder as she raised her cane in mock salute before stepping out the front door and closed it behind her, leaving the Emersons and the Frogs to deal with the huge mess that lay scattered around them. Everyone just looked at each other for a few minutes, no one knowing what to do next while they stood in an awkward silence, waiting.

"Right then. You six get cleanin'." Grandpa said loudly as he clapped his hands together to get everyone's attention. He looked over at Sam, Allan and Edgar and then at Michael, Star and Laddie. "You trash the house, you fix the house. As for me, I'm gonna get some shut eye. What a night." He said as he took off his jacket and hung it up on one of the nearby mounted antlers before he motioned Lucy to come with him as he headed for the stairs.

"Aw c'mon Grandpa do we have to do it tonight?" Sam groaned as he watched his grandfather shuffle past him, knowing that they'd be up all night just to get this place remotely normal looking. Grandpa Emerson paused for a moment as he looked over at his grandson and snorted in mock surprise.

"Don't you know anythin' about bein' a vampire hunter? Always get rid of the evidence, it's the golden rule. You don't want those guys comin' back for you, do you?" He asked casually as he enjoyed the look of panic that crossed both of his grandsons' faces as they looked at the Frog brothers who just stared at one another, not knowing if Grandpa Emerson was kidding or not.

"They can come back?" Allan asked quickly as Edgar reached for the comic book to double check if there was anything in there about vampires being able to resurrect themselves from the dead.

"I wouldn't know. I always made sure that I'd never have to find out. The mops are in the broom closet. Have fun and try not to make too much noise." Grandpa Emerson chuckled before he went upstairs, leaving the teens to tackle the wreckage of the post-battle. He paused at the top of the stairs and listened as Sam and Allan started to argue about who was going to sweep and who was going to mop while Michael and Edgar got into a heated debate about who was going to dispose of the charred remains of the vampire by the stereo.

"You know Lucy I'm glad that you're home. There's nothin' like a little vampire chaos to make things interestin'." Henry Emerson chuckled as he wrapped his arm around his daughter's shoulder and hugged her. "After all what's the point of livin' in Santa Carla if you can't enjoy the strange and unusual once in a while? In this town people are definitely strange." He mused out loud while Lucy returned his hug and the two walked down the hallway arm in arm while a massive argument broke out in the living room. It looked like things were finally back to normal and you know what they say; there's no place like home.


	23. Epilogue

**Hey everyone.**

**Here it is folks, the last chapter. I can't believe it. This is the final chapter of this story. It's...over. "puts on Bon Jovi's It's my life" Ok, I promised myself that I wouldn't get sappy so I'll keep it short and sweet. You guys rock. Thank you so much for reading this thing and sticking with it through all the spelling mistakes and weird quirks. A very special thanks goes out to three people who have helped push this thing along when it was on the verge of derailment. GoldenPeaches, Rachael and StormSister, kudos to you ladies. Thanks for the vote of confidence, you've done the boys proud. And for the rest of you awesome readers out there, rock on folks because you guys rule. **

**Now let's get this thing over with and party on!**

**This is our story baby so be excellent!**

**For the last time,**

**Happy Reading**

* * *

_Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod, one night sailed off in a wooden shoe;  
Sailed off on a river of crystal light into a sea of dew.  
"Where are you going and what do you wish?" the old moon asked the three.  
"We've come to fish for the herring fish that live in this beautiful sea.  
Nets of silver and gold have we," said Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod._

_The old moon laughed and sang a song as they rocked in the wooden shoe.  
And the wind that sped them all night long ruffled the waves of dew.  
Now the little stars are the herring fish that live in that beautiful sea;  
"Cast your nets wherever you wish never afraid are we!"  
So cried the stars to the fishermen three - Winkin', and Blinkin', and Nod_

Fay sniffed hard as she ran the back of her hand across her eyes, blinking hard as her vision began to blur. The house was silent now; the only sound that could be heard was the steady _tick tock tick tock_ of the pendulum tail of the Felix the Cat clock that hung in the kitchen. Clearing her throat, Fay exhaled a shaky breath as she carefully began to wrap the large Elvis bust in two layers of newspaper before she placed it into a cardboard box labeled "fragile, this side up" in black magic marker. An entire day had come and gone already and the world went on when Fay fully expected it to come crashing to a brutal halt. But life isn't that easy. There is no easy way to get out of or to deal with this kind of pain. All one could do was go on living.

After making sure that the Elvis bust would be safe, Fay moved towards her large dresser and grabbed the last few knickknacks off of the hand-made lace doily that her grandmother had made for her mother as part of her wedding present decades ago. Grabbing another sheet of newspaper from the large pile that sat on her bed, Fay began the process of wrapping the fragile objects with an almost robotic motion while she fought to keep her mind blank and numb to the fact that it was almost sunrise. The sunrise of the second day, the second day without the boys, the second day alone. No, she couldn't start thinking that way.

"Stop it." Fay muttered to herself as she shook her head in an attempt to scatter the slyly forming thoughts that were creeping out from the barred region of her mind. Think of something else, anything else. How did the rest of the rhyme go again?

_So all night long their nets they threw to the stars in the twinkling foam.  
'Til down from the skies came the wooden shoe bringing the fisherman home.  
'Twas all so pretty a sail it seemed as if it could not be.  
Some folks say 'twas a dream they dreamed of sailing that misty sea.  
But I shall name you the fisherman three - Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod._

"_Maow?"_ Figaro quietly mewed from the hallway as he pressed his nose against the closed door, sniffing along the doorframe as he tried to push the door open with his head. Elvis sat on the running carpet, quietly batting away at a piece of carpet fluff while waiting to gain entrance into the master bedroom. When Fay had gotten home last night, she had fed the cats and went up into her room, locking the door without saying a word. David had shown up just before sunrise and instead of attempting to let Fay know that he was there, he had simply gone straight down into the basement and created temporary sleeping quarters for himself in Fay's windowless cantina and spent the day sprawled dead to the world alongside bottles of home-made wine while Fay kept herself in isolation, not even coming out when the cats food bowls were empty. When nightfall came, David left as silently as he had come and only then did Fay leave her room to grab a stack of newspapers and a few cardboard boxes to begin the long process of packing up her belongings.

"_Merw? Merwow?"_ Figaro meowed, louder this time in hopes of getting Fay's attention as he paced back and forth in front of the closed door, wanting to be let it. But the door remained shut. Elvis looked up from his make-shift toy and peered up at the door handle for a moment before he rose to his feet and leapt at it, his paws swatting the handle as he hit the wood with a muffled _whump_. It was a good try but there was no way a cat was going to open a locked door from the outside.

"_What we do now?"_ Elvis seemed to ask Figaro as he lightly head butted the door with his head. Figaro pawed at the door before he resigned to the fact that Fay wasn't going to open it and instead of answering the younger cat, the striped tabby sat down by the doorframe and wrapped his slender tail around his paws. Waiting was the only option they had left. An hour crept past without anything happening and just as Figaro was about to leave to go use the litter box, the phone rang and the cats leapt to their feet and pressed their faces up against the door, trying to hear what was said in the other room.

_Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring…_

Fay looked over at the phone that sat on her night table but didn't move to answer it. Instead she just continued to empty out her dresser drawers and pack away her clothes, not bothering to find out who was calling her at this hour.

_Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring…_

Fay neatly folded her t-shirts as the phone began to ring once more and once again Fay ignored it. She wasn't going to deal with anyone tonight. When the phone started to ring a third time Fay crossed the room, picked up the receiver, hung up on whoever it was who was on the other end and placed the receiver on the table, leaving it off the hook. Giving it a final look, Fay turned her back to it and looked out the window. It wouldn't be long now.

_Riiiiiiiiiiiiiing…_

Fay slowly turned around as the drawn-out ring faded and her momentary puzzled expression darkened to one of understanding as she went over to the phone and picked it up.

"What do you want." Fay stated in a monotone voice as the other end suddenly came alive with noise.

"Fay? Fay! Why the hell aren't you answering your phone? Is everything? What's going on over there? Comara Antoinette is on her way over there right now, she just flew out of Cleveland two hours ago. Fay what's going on?" A female voice said as static crackled over the line for a moment before clearing up. Phone calls by magic weren't the easiest things to accomplish and the line always had a habit of going dead in the middle of a conversation.

"It's nothing Theo. I'm…I'm fine. Nothing is going on here…" Fay began as she cradled the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she began to clear the items out of the night table, putting them on the bed to be packed in a separate box.

"Nothing? You call a sudden family-wide bout of depression nothing? Fay, don't fuck with me girl. I _know_ that something is going on over there and whatever it is it's not good because it's got every single aunt, niece, cousin, mother and grand-mother in the Prima family worried sick. What's happening over there?" Fay's first-cousin and fellow witch Theodora demanded and even the cats in the hallway could hear her voice loud and clear. Fay winced slightly at the sudden change in volume as she continued to pack up her clothes.

"Theo stop it. Nothing is happening. I'm leaving Santa Carla ok?" Fay snapped as she threw a pair of fat cat pajamas onto the bed and grabbed the phone from her shoulder.

"Leaving? Why are you leaving?" Theo snapped back, not one to give away any ground. If Fay wanted to be all mysterious and un-talkative that was fine, but Theo was going to get answers even is she had to pry them out with a crowbar.

"Because Theo…I can't stay here any more." Fay muttered and before she could say another word, Theo cut her off.

"Why can't you stay Fay? Hmm? Can you tell me that? Why?" Theo barked and for a moment she kind of sounded like a Beagle that was chasing after something. Fay instantly curled her lips and hissed into the phone and Theo's responded with a deep dog growl.

"Ok, fine I'll stop. Can I do anything then? Do you want me to send you some cash? Help? A few of Zia Elvira's hit men to kill anyone for you?" Theo asked more gently this time.

"No, I don't need anything. But…" Fay answered as she chewed her lower lip, thinking for a minute. "You can do something for me."

"Ok, shoot. What is it?" Theo asked and Fay could hear other voices talking in the background before Theo shushed them with another growl. How typical of her relatives. Everyone's got to know about everyone else's business. Pure Italian Prima mentality.

"Call Zia Elvira for me. No I don't want anyone killed. Just call her and tell her that I'm coming over to stay with her for a while." Fay said as she picked up the body of the phone and walked around the bed so that she could grab another cardboard box without having to put the phone down.

"Ok, I won't ask why because I know that you won't tell me. When should she be expecting you? Are you going to travel alone?" Theo asked as the faint sounds of a pen scratching on a piece of paper could be heard through the phone line.

"Tell her that I'll be there in a couple of days and that I'm bringing someone with me ok?" Fay asked as she put the empty box on her bed beside the full one and sat down on the edge of the mattress.

"Ok. Anything else?" Theo asked just to make sure that she had all the angles covered.

"Yeah, tell everyone there that they can mind their own god-damn business for once and what's going on here is none of their concern." Fay muttered darkly while Theo couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

"Will do Fay. Oh and Fay? If you need anything, and let me stress _anything_, don't be afraid to call ok? I'll make sure that no one is around if you want to talk." Theo said as Fay fiddled with the frayed edge of her old over-sized t-shirt, her eyes staring at nothing as she breathed in deeply.

"Thanks." Fay said and hung up the phone. She sniffed once more as she looked around her bedroom, glancing at the bare walls and empty drawers as she wrapped her arms around herself, sitting there on the edge of her bed, alone and uncertain.

"What am I going to do now?" She whispered out loud to the empty room and no matter how hard she wished it, there was no response. Heaving a heavy sigh, Fay glanced down at her right hand and traced the permanent welts that ran across her palm with her finger, trying not to think about what had happened two nights ago.

_Knock-knock_

"Fay?" Fay jerked slightly when she heard her name being said and glared over her shoulder at the door, knowing full-well whose voice had said her name. Grabbing her cane from where it lay on the bed, Fay went to the bedroom door and slowly unlocked it. She stood there for a minute, watching the door handle to see if David had the guts to open it but for that minute the door handle remained untouched. Glowering Fay grabbed the handle and turned, cracking open the door just enough so that she could see David standing in the hallway. Figaro and Elvis had positioned themselves further down the hall

as if staying near David would cause them to cough up hairballs or something equally painful.

David kept his eyes lowered, not willing to meet her eye-to-eye because he knew that if he did she would most likely kill him where he stood. He didn't want to be standing here anymore than she wanted to see him but he knew what he had to do and as much as it made him feel physically ill, he had no choice but to do it. Fay had willed it and it had to be done.

Fay didn't say a word as she opened the door wider and stepped out of the bedroom, just enough so that she was in touching distance of David but also enough so that she could scoot back into her place of refuge within a blink of an eye if need be. She stared at him as she gripped her cane and the urge to ram the sword cane into his heart was so powerful that she had to take a step back and grip the edge of the door with her left hand to prevent herself from doing so. The cats watched on like silent sentinels as the witch and the vampire stood at the end of the hall, each one waiting for the other to begin. When it was clear that Fay wasn't going to speak to him, David raised his eyes slightly and handed Fay Marko's leather jacket. He had gone back into the cave that night to retrieve it because Fay had mentally told him that she wanted something personal of Marko's but didn't tell him why. Fay looked down at the jacket for a while before she made any move to take it from him and when she did, she cleared her throat as she raised her eyes up to David's face.

"And everything else?" She asked her voice cold and clear while her eyes quickly filled with tears that didn't fall. Like hell would she ever give David the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Fay never cried in public, _never_. She would never allow people to see that side of her. Fay always grieved in private without anyone knowing and she couldn't care less what people thought of her. If they thought she was a heartless ice-queen then so be it. Better an Ice Queen than ever being labeled as a vulnerable weakling, or so she thought.

"I took care of it. There's nothing left but the graffiti. No one will ever know we were there." David said quietly as he avoided looking at Fay. Instead he stared straight ahead, eyeing the painted doorframe above Fay's head. Fay nodded slowly, digesting the information as she cradled Marko's bloodied jacket to her chest. The blood had dried and caked onto the leather and the colorful patches and Fay knew that no matter how many times she cleaned it, the blood would never really come off.

"And…?" Fay asked as she looked down at the jacket once more, gently running her left hand over the fringe work that had been sown onto the left shoulder, remembering how Marko looked while wearing it. Even though it broke her heart to hold onto it, Fay stood there without wavering, waiting to hear what David was about to say.

"I pitched the bikes over the bluff." He said before he squared his shoulders and toyed with the edge of one of his leather gloves. Here goes nothing.

"The Emersons burned Dwayne's remains in their backyard during the day and there's nothing left of Paul. I…I burned Marko's body on a pyre and let the wind take care of the rest. As of now, they never existed." David said and waited for Fay's reaction. There was none. Fay just stood there, holding onto the jacket and her cane while watching him. David dared to look at her for a moment and was utterly surprised with what he saw. She wasn't looking as if she were about to breathe fire nor did she appear to be greatly distressed. To David, Fay looked hollow. No expression, no emotion, nothing.

"Fay?" He asked quietly while wondering as to what the hell he was doing but Fay didn't seem to hear him.

"We're leaving tomorrow night at sunset. Make sure you're ready." Fay mumbled as she retreated back into her room and closed the door in David's face, locking it once more. David blinked and for once didn't know what to do. He stared at the door and then down the hall and would have continued to stand there if Figaro hadn't hissed at him, clearly telling him that he was no longer wanted in the hallway. Taking his cue from the cat, David quietly made his way down to the basement while Figaro and Elvis took up their positions by Fay's door once more.

_Now Winkin' and Blinkin' are two little eyes and Nod is a little head.  
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies is a wee one's trundle bed.  
So close your eyes while mother sings of the wonderful sights that be.  
And you shall see those beautiful things as you sail on the misty sea,  
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three – Marko, Paul, and Dwayne._

_Marko…Paul…Dwayne…_

Fay started to shake as she hugged the jacket tightly to her chest, holding onto it as hard as she could. The cane dropped onto the carpet as she let it go and crashed to the ground, landing heavily on her left side as she instinctively curled into a fetal position as best she could, the jacket cradled to her chest. She shook in waves as she tried to fight back the tidal wave of emotions that were rising up in her after being held at bay for two days. She wheezed and gasped as she fought for breath, the shakes and tremors were that strong. It looked as if she were having some sort of seizure but she was conscious and aware of what was going on around her. Clutching the jacket like a man clinging to life, Fay didn't feel the hard object that was wrapped up in the folds the leather garment until it fell out of one of the sleeves. Fay grabbed it and looked at it before crushing it to her chest along with the jacket. It was the little statuette of Bast that Dwayne had found and put back together more than a year and a half ago when Fay had first moved away from Santa Carla for a lengthy period of time. Fay closed her eyes and buried her face into the jacket as she slammed her fist into the floor over and over again, the jacket barely muffling a scream of anguish that came from her as she lost the emotional siege.

"Why…oh my god…..why…why god why….WHYYYYYYYYY!" Fay screamed as she rolled onto her back, rocking back and forth as she cried and sobbed and choked. No matter what she did she couldn't get it out. Rolling onto her right side Fay clenched her teeth together as a howl of pure animalistic pain erupted from her, the sound of it caused the hair on the back of David's neck to stand on end as he kept himself hidden in the basement. At that sound, the two cats started to yowl their own lamentations as they bumped into the door and ran up and down the hall, sharing Fay's grief as she shrieked over and over again, slamming her fist, her feet and even her head on the carpeted wooden floor as she tried to beat out the pain.

"Oh god….boys…my boys…why….why my boys…why…" She whined as she cried into the leather jacket. It wasn't the cries of an anguished lover or sister or friend that came from Fay. What came from Fay was the sound of a heart-broken mother having to bear the loss of her children alone and there is no sound on this earth that is more heart-wrenching or more woeful than that.

_And that folks is the true story behind _The Lost Boys.


	24. The Soundtrack

**Hey guys!**

**Remember that surprise I promised you? Well here it is, the soundtrack! It's a collection of head-banging 80's tunes that have helped me write the story. So to have the full Lost Boys experience, download these songs and re-read your favorite chapters. I promise that you won't be disappointed. "wink"**

**Happy Head-Banging!**

* * *

**People are Strange Songs**

1. _People are Strange_ by The Doors (Story Song/Prologue)

2. _Running with the Devil_ by Van Halen (Chap 1)

3. _I wanna feel sedated_ by The Ramones (Chap 4)

4. _Dr. FeelGood_ by Motley Crue (Chap 4)

5. _Love Bites_ by Def Leppard (Chap 6)

6. _You Give Love a Bad Name_ by Bon Jovi (Chap 7)

7. _Rock the Cradle of Love_ by Billy Idol (Chap 7)

8. _You Shook me all Night Long_ by AC/DC (Chap 8)

9. _Born in the USA_ by Bruce Springsteen ( Chap 9)

10. _Winds of Change_ by Scorpions (Chap 13)

11. _Love Me Tender_ by Elvis Presley (Chap 14)

12. _I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight_ by Cutting Crew (Dwayne and Fay's song)

13. _Wanted Dead or Alive_ by Bon Jovi (Chap 18)

14. _I Still Believe_ by Tim Cappello (Chap 19)

15. _We're Not Gonna Take It_ by Twisted Sister (Chap 19)

16. _Too Late for Love_ by Def Leppard (Chap 20)

17. _People are Strange_ by The Doors (Chap 21)

18. _Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad_ by Def Leppard (Epilogue)

19. _Wild Boys _by Duran Duran (Epilogue)


End file.
